


The Ties That Bind

by EryiScrye (SomberSecrets)



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe – Modern, An Over-Abundance of "THAT'S MY WIFE" Energy, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Anal toys, And It Was Not A Healthy Relationship, Awkward Boners, BDSM, BDSM Contract/Checklist Negotiation, Blindfolds, Brienne POV, Butt Plugs, Cersei Doesn't Actually Appear In Here, Cock Rings, Dirty Talk, Double Penetration, Edging, Even as They Continue to Fail at Feelings, F/M, Face-Sitting, First Kiss, Foundation Sex, Gags, Hair Pulling, How Did All This Plot Get In Here, I'm So Sorry For The Sword Metaphors, Ice, Impact Play, Kink Tags To Be Added As They Are Written:, Masturbation, Mild breath play, Mirrors, Multiple Orgasms, Mutual Masturbation, Now it’s Plot with Porn, On-Fire Sexual Chemistry, Ongoing Coping, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Partial Suspension, Passing Mention of Animal Cruelty, Past Cersei Lannister/Jaime Lannister, Past Relationship(s), Past Unsafe Sex, Phone Sex, Please See Tag About Sacred Shipping Objects, Praise Kink, Restraints, Role Play - Sort Of, Rope Bondage, Safeword Use, Semi-Public Sex, Sensory Deprivation, Sex Toys, Sexual Fantasy, Sexy Misuse of Sacred Shipping Objects, Slow Burn Romance Between Red's Face and Jaime's Fist, SpiderSearch, Started as just Porn, Switching, Table Sex Tuesday, Then it Became Porn with Plot, Vaginal Sex, aka Varys IS Google, feathers - Freeform, omg, past abusive relationship, past trauma, slow-burn romance, sub-space, the pegging that was promised
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:13:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 155,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22549873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomberSecrets/pseuds/EryiScrye
Summary: It had all started with what Brienne thought was going to be an innocent, albeit emotional, sleep over. But instead, Margaery had taken her phone and written a note with a serious nod of her head. “I’m on this website. Check it out and explore it as little or as much as you want. If you meet someone you like you can always ask me if I know anything about them and if for some reason I don’t, I will find out everything I can. It’s good to be cautious, but you don’t need to be scared, Brienne.”
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 1871
Kudos: 980





	1. BlueKnight

**Author's Note:**

> I can't even articulate how nervous I am to post this work, but here it is and I hope that every one enjoys reading it as much as I have enjoyed planning it and writing it! If there are certain kinks you would like to be warned about or given an indication whether there is a chance it will appear in this work, comment below or message me on my tumblr: eryiscrye.
> 
> Thank you so much to my beta lewispanda who has been planning this with me basically since its inception and is an absolutely wonderful human and beta. She's made it super fun and I hope everyone else has just as much fun reading it! All mistakes are my own.
> 
> Updates will be coming approx. every two weeks.
> 
> Note: No one is related/married unless explicitly stated. Robert isn't married to Cersei, Joffery is neither Jaime nor Cersei's son.

Brienne took a couple deep, calming breaths as she stood in front of Margaery’s small bungalow. Her eyes burned, all her limbs felt heavy, and her knuckles ached.

Despite the rage and sadness that was clawing at her periphery, Brienne was pretty proud of herself. She was proud of the fact that she hadn’t just decided to cancel, hadn’t just decided to crawl back home, hadn’t just decided to curl up under her blanket, and hadn’t just decided to cry until her eyes swelled up to the point where they would add on to the plethora of already mismatched features on her face. 

It didn’t mean that she didn’t _want_ to do all those things, that her body wasn’t screaming at her to just turn around and find some solitude where she could just wallow in her misery before going back to pretending like the world didn’t affect her; that she didn’t hurt like a knife was lancing again and again through her heart. 

But she knew solitude wasn’t what she needed right now.

When she pressed the doorbell and heard the familiar tinkling chime, she knew with certainty that this was what she needed. She needed her friends, her family, and people she trusted more than anything.

The front door slowly opened and Margaery stared out at Brienne with a surprised look on her _pretty_ face, “We weren’t expecting you until later, I thought you had plans—”

“No. No plans,” Brienne said as she pushed past Margaery, avoiding eye contact, and into her home. She tried to ignore the startled look that Margaery threw Sansa at Brienne’s decidedly uncharacteristic rudeness and instead dropped her groceries on the nearest flat surface. She was already feeling bad enough as it was and it was causing her to do things that were making her feel even worse, so why was she doing them? But she couldn’t just _stand_ out there either with her lie-not-a-lie, not being able to even so much as look the beautiful, _desirable,_ Margaery in the face, so she had pushed and now regretted her actions. Brienne bit down harshly on her bottom lip, recognizing she was spiralling, and so sputtered meekly, “I got us ice cream.”

Sansa carefully and slowly pattered over to the table where Brienne stood, the redhead already dressed in her pink flannel pajamas and teddy wolf slippers, and tried to peer into the bags. However, Brienne was already pulling the contents out with military-like fervour. “Please, tell me you got more than just that low fat, fruity, frozen yogurt stuff you force yourself to eat.”

Brienne shook her head, “I got…” she slammed down several one liter tubs of ice cream, “double cream, full fat, chocolatey chunk ice cream with the caramel swirls.”

“What?” Margaery exclaimed as she also sidled up to the table.

Brienne took a deep breath in and wrung the cloth handles of the bags around her too big hands, “And I want to watch Gone Girl.”

Margaery and Sansa’s heads snapped up from staring at the five giant tubs of ice cream as suddenly _context_ was given to Brienne’s behaviour. There was only ever _one_ reason that any of them demanded to watch Gone Girl. It was the one good thing about Brienne’s brief and quite frankly disappointing relationship with Hyle Hunt the cunt; he had started one hell of a tradition. “Oh, Brienne…”

Brienne waved her friends away, keeping her gaze on the ground. “Movie first. Talk later.” She was only just holding back her tears now.

Sansa nodded, took Brienne’s arm gently in her hands and led her over to the couch in front of the large flat screen TV in Margaery’s living room. She then pulled Margaery’s old rose patterned quilt off the back of her couch and swung it over her and Brienne’s shoulders before she tucked herself into Brienne’s side and pulled her to sit down. “Time to watch Amerei wreck Nicol’s life,” Sansa murmured soothingly, as she gave Brienne a tight squeeze around the waist. Brienne nuzzled into her friend’s hair and nodded, letting one tear slip from the corner of her eye.

“Fuck the cool girl,” Margaery declared as she appeared before them with three of the tubs of ice cream, three spoons, and three very full glasses of red wine at the ready. Brienne grabbed a tub and a spoon and tried to look up at Margaery’s concerned face, but found that she still couldn’t. She knew she was being absurd but couldn’t help herself. Sansa grabbed the controller and navigated through Margaery’s saved movies until she found the old film. Margaery found her place on Brienne’s other side and tucked herself under Brienne’s arm before she ripped open her tub of ice cream. “Cheers girls.”

Brienne and Sansa held up their own open tubs of ice cream and tapped it against Margaery’s, “Cheers.” 

* * *

“I will never get over how good Dany was in that role,” Sansa grinned around the spoon in her mouth as the credits began to play. She hit the stop button on the remote and Margaery’s screen went back to the main menu. 

“Every single time I see that fucking _look_ on Daario’s face I am transported back in time to the sweet, sweet memory of you breaking up with Hyle Hunt,” Margaery grinned as she rested her chin on Brienne’s shoulder and fluffed at Brienne’s lightly curled hair.

Brienne snorted, halfway to laughter, and tried to give her friends a smile - but she wasn’t able to muster the effort to even pretend to be happy enough to lift the corners of her lips. At least she was able to look at them again.

“Do you want to tell us what happened?” Sansa asked softly as she took one of Brienne’s hands in both of hers, “We’re here for you Brienne.”

“Take your time if you need,” Margaery said as she turned her head to rest her temple on Brienne’s shoulder, “After one and a half tubs of ice cream, I’m not going anywhere for a while, and I am always willing to trash on Hyle after watching Gone Girl.”

Brienne shifted at the warmth that surrounded her and squeezed Sansa’s hand back, reaching for Margaery’s to do the same. “Thanks.”

“If only you had been able to destroy Hyle the way Amerei nearly destroyed Nicol,” Margaery said wistfully and not for the first time, “I wish you had let _me_ destroy Hyle. Nana would have gladly helped. She would have ground him into rose fertilizer.”

“I was close,” Brienne sighed as she tilted her head to rest it on Margaery’s.

“’I thought you were cool’,” Sansa mocked, trying to throw her voice low.

“If I had been you, I would have decked him.”

“If you had been me, you would have told him off when he turned off the lights the first time… not the tenth time.”

Margaery huffed and pinched Brienne’s thigh and she shot into Sansa with a squeal. Sansa tried to catch her, but Brienne ended up catching Sansa and saving her from toppling off the couch from her own momentum. Margaery ignored the fact that she had just caused a ruckus and brandished her hands in irritation. “I know where you’re going with this and I’m going to stop you in your tracks. If you were into girls, I would fuck you. I would fuck you right here, right now, on the couch, with Sansa watching and all of the lights as they are or brighter. I would make you scream in pleasure Brienne, twice. More! Hyle was a dick who didn’t know how good he had it and took advantage of the fact that he was your first. You, like a lot of us, liked sex and you wanted to enjoy it with him. Once you realized what he was doing, you stood against his treatment of you and you can’t discount that.”

“I’d join in,” Sansa airily laughed, mostly serious, as Brienne righted her on the couch and flushed just the barest coral. Margaery gave Sansa the eye for basically swooning and Sansa waved her friend away. 

“I remember how much use you got out of that rabbit I gave you, too, so not only was he an asshole, but he was a selfish fucker in the sack, so never be sad about that cunt! If anything he spared you from having to look at his fucking face.”

“Okay, Margaery, okay,” Brienne placated as she clasped her hands in front of her.

“What happened tonight, Brienne?” Sansa asked gently again.

Brienne looked up at the adorable Sansa and then at the gorgeous Margaery, the former giving her a sweet supportive gaze and the later burning still with righteous fury. She sighed as she started picking at her nails, “You know how I said I had a date with Red?”

Her friends nodded supportively. “You were telling us he was being really nice to you.”

“Well, it _was_ a date and it started off well,” Brienne huffed as tears gathered in her eyes, “We actually got to his place and started making out and we were just about to… to…”

“Fuck.”

Brienne winced at Margaery’s crassness, but nodded, “When he laughed and told me I was being ‘pretty forward for a virgin’…”

“But you’re not a—“

“And then when he found out that he wasn’t going to be ‘devirginizing’ me—“

Margaery blazed, “Did the bastard actually—“

“He admitted that it was all… everything… was part of a bet. Mark and Harry and a bunch of the other guys who were nice to me were in on it too. They all assumed I was a virgin because…” Brienne paused before Margaery could interrupt and just waved generally at her whole self. 

Most days… most days Brienne was able to forget about _it_ . Her face, her figure… the fact that she would never be one of those beautiful princesses in those fairy tales she was still afraid to admit she loved. Most days she could wake up and look in the mirror and not feel like the Seven had dealt her a bad hand by giving her such an unusual… such an _ugly_ face. Some days she could forget that she was well over six feet and that her feet were huge and that her hands seemed even bigger. Some days she could forget that all her dad, babysitters, and counsellors could only tell her had been that ‘it would get better with puberty’. Because it hadn’t. It hadn’t and she had instead shot up more and thickened rather than curved. No breasts, barely any hips… she was just lucky that a flat butt could be fixed by gaining a lot of muscle. 

But today wasn’t one of those days. Today all of _her_ had been thrown back into her face and deemed inadequate. She wouldn’t have minded being called a virgin. She even maybe would have preferred being one if she could hang the memory of Hyle feeling compelled to turn off the lights whenever they had sex. But she did care that the only reason that Red… that Will and Ed and the others had assumed she was a virgin was because she was just too hideous for anyone to have sex with her. 

Today was just one of those days where she felt like she couldn’t trust a single good thing anyone ever said about her, because she _had_ trusted Hyle and _had_ trusted Red and _had_ trusted Ben and Robin and Raymond… and they had all lied to her.

Sansa grabbed Brienne’s hand and squeezed so hard that her knuckles creaked, “Please tell me you decked _him._ ”

Brienne gave a sad half smile to Sansa and flexed her sweetly sore knuckles, “I did.”

“Good riddance!” Margaery snarled, “The next time I see him, though, I’m going to grab his fucking balls and dig my nails—“

“I would just prefer never to see him again,” Brienne declared as she slumped back on the sofa. 

Sansa reached out and brushed the tips of her fingers against Brienne’s cheek and that’s when Brienne realized she was crying. “Let it all out,” Sansa murmured and leaned onto Brienne’s chest to give her a big hug.

Brienne felt the sobs bubble out of her chest and her whole body heave as the dam broke and tears cascaded down her surely ruddy cheeks. She wrapped her arms around Sansa and cried into her hair as Margaery fluttered around the two of them trying to collect tissues and make three mugs of hot chamomile tea.

Catharsis.

It felt freeing to let all of the sadness out. 

To let all of the sadness out with people she knew she could be vulnerable with.

When it had all been in her head, when she had been standing in that ice cream isle dumping tubs of ice cream into her basket, it had felt like it was all her. It had felt like she had been the one that was hideous, that she had been lucky to have anyone want to sleep with her, that she should have just slept with Red anyways after finding out. That she was the one that was stupid enough to trust anything but what the mirror showed her. But now that it was out, now that her friends were there beside her, staring at her as though she was the one that was wronged instead of him, the rage of it all just set in.

“I don’t give a shit—“ Both Margaery and Sansa’s eyes widened at her cussing, “about being in a relationship anymore. Fuck dating. Fuck romance. I just want to have sex with someone who I can trust. Someone who I can trust not to hurt me, someone who I can trust not to make fun of me for wanting a wild and fun romp in the sack despite the fact that I’m—“

Sansa shook her head fiercely, “None of that.”

“Someone who I can trust to take care of me even if they can’t love me,” Brienne whimpered, “I just want someone who cares about me even if I’m ugly.”

“Brienne…”

Brienne waved at Sansa, “I know. I know. You care about me and I’m not...” Brienne couldn’t say it a second time, even as the word whirled in her head.

An uncharacteristic beat of silence followed.

“So you are okay with someone who just wants to care for you… sexually,” Margaery said slowly as though she was tonguing the word around her mouth. Suddenly her eyes flickered and Brienne noted a look that she exchanged with Sansa. They seemed to have a conversation in the void of silence right in front of her and then Sansa sighed and nodded. Margaery grinned, “Give me your phone Brienne.”

“My phone?”

“I’m just going to write a note for you.”

“What are you up to, Margaery Tyrell?” Brienne asked suspiciously even as she pulled her phone out of her pocket, wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, and handed her phone unlocked to her friend. 

“You want sex and you want trust, right?” Margaery asked as she tapped away at Brienne’s screen. Sansa huffed from Brienne’s other side. “Well, then what’s better than some good old fashioned BDSM?”

“Excuse me?” Brienne demanded.

“Way to break it to her slowly,” Sansa growled. 

“BDSM?” Brienne reiterated slowly once she had regained a sense of calm, “As in the stuff in Fifty Little Fingers.”

“Hell no! I mean well—” Margaery huffed with irritation and tugged at her hair, “That’s what _now_ a lot of people _think_ BDSM is like, but it’s really some of the worst _of the worst_ parts of it. Like the guide on how _not_ to approach a BDSM relationship. That stupid fucking book series opened up a lot of new avenues for creeps to try and take advantage of people who don’t understand that a fully consensual BDSM relationship is nothing like that. Like if someone tries to make you sign a binding contract, run.”

“A… fully… consensual… BDSM relationship…”

“It’s not all latex and hanging from the ceiling either,” and then Margaery grinned and wiggled her eyebrows, “Unless you want it to be.”

Sansa sighed, “You’re really not selling this Margaery.”

Brienne turned mechanically to Sansa. It felt like her brain was in outer space. How in all names had they ended up on this topic? Right. Margaery. “You too, Sansa?”

“After my break up with Joffery, Margaery sprung this on me with the same amount of grace that she sprung it on you,” Sansa explained as she patted Brienne’s thigh. “The core tenant of BDSM is trust. You trust the other person to take care of you or to tell you if something is wrong or right. There’s a lot of communication involved, and sometimes not even any sex. Although BDSM in itself wasn’t for me, I learnt a lot of good practices from looking into it.”

Brienne gapped a bit at Sansa, who gave her a sympathetic look, and then swiveled her gaze back to stare at Margaery, who was holding her phone back out to her, “I’m on this website. Check it out and explore it as little or as much as you want. If you meet someone you like you can always ask me if I know anything about them, and if for some reason I don’t, I will find out everything I can. It’s good to be cautious, but you don’t need to be scared Brienne.”

“Meet someone?” Brienne choked out as she grabbed her phone and saw the web address and referral code that Margaery had inputted as a note.

“They take some of your real information, but it’s for community safety and none of that is made public. The website and forum is run by the Martells.”

“As in, the Martells of _Dorne_?”

“The very,” Margaery grinned, “So they are super serious about privacy and safe sex - fun sex, too. I go by PrincessofThorns on the forum.”

“Margaery… this is…”

“Take as little or as much time as you need,” Margaery said for the second time that evening. “Don’t even talk to anyone if you’re uncomfortable. Just learn a couple things, see if it interests you. Who know? You might find something you—” Margaery waggled her eyebrows again, “Like.”

“I think Brienne just blue screened.”

“Alright then,” Margaery clapped her hands together, then changed the topic, “Sansa, how is Lady doing?”

Sansa squealed and pulled out her phone, “She’s so cute! Look at her!”

* * *

They were all curled up together on the living room floor in a fortress of pillows later into the night when Brienne finally asked, “Did you two ever… try anything… meet anyone on this website?”

Sansa sleepily nuzzled her face into Brienne’s arm, “I didn’t. I just read through some of the resources they had and stopped there. It’s part of the culture and definitely part of the Martell policy not to push anyone. They don’t like… send you any spam either.”

“That isn’t to say that once you start talking to people, some of them won’t be pushy. The forum has a great blocking function and an even better reporting function, though, and Oberyn will often message you privately if you report on something that makes you feel unsafe. He and his partner Ellaria took a lot of counselor training and computer science courses before they opened the website and forum. It’s considered more safe and secure than some of the government websites in Westeros.”

“Please don’t tell me the reason why Dorne was able to avoid that huge data hack years ago was because…”

Margaery laughed, “It was!”

Brienne buried her face into her pillows. “This is too much.”

“Do you not want me to answer your question, then?” Margaery grinned as she poked Brienne’s side.

Brienne flushed and kept her face buried in the pillow, “Just talk.”

“Well, to start with - Oberyn and Ellaria always have an open invitation to try some BDSM techniques and scenes with them…”

Brienne’s head popped up as Sansa snorted, “You didn’t!”

“I did!” Margaery laughed, “And it was great! They started off slow, and by the end of the week I felt comfortable enough to be suspended upside down from the ceiling with wax being dripped on me, which, by the way, is _not_ the standard. Oberyn and Ellaria are masters and I’m, well. I know I was interested. They even had me try some simple things on Ellaria, since I told them I was more into domming… or topping, whichever term you prefer.”

“By the Seven,” Brienne gapped, “Is that… oh my gods, was that what you were doing in Dorne three years ago?”

Margaery grinned. 

“Oh my gods.”

“I’ve also met up with some other people on the forum. Some of them just for a coffee, and then we figured out the other wasn’t who we were looking for in a BDSM relationship -and some of them I spent time with for months.”

“Are you with… with someone now?”

Margaery nodded her head, “I am, and we meet up just for scenes. But those relationships have a line of trust, which is why I thought…” Margaery didn’t complete her sentence but nodded at Brienne.

“Meet up just for… scenes?” Brienne asked, with what she thought was morbid curiosity. 

“There are different types of BDSM relationships. It kind of falls on two axes: sexual to non-sexual and scenes to life. You can fall anywhere in those four quadrants. You’re probably going to be on the far sexual side and then it’s up to you whether you want to keep it to defined scenes or times, or to extend it out to life.”

“Oh…”

“You can read all about it on the website. Along with their own material, the Martell’s also have tons of external resources available, so not everything will agree, but they believe in you informing yourself,” Sansa provided.

“Oh…” Brienne was trying her hardest not to blue screen again.

“I can try to answer any more questions you have, but maybe… give the website a try?”

Brienne bit her lip and nuzzled back into her pillow, “Maybe.”

* * *

Brienne didn’t look at the note in her phone for three days. 

But she didn’t delete it either. 

The web address, the referral code, and everything Margaery and Sansa had told her stayed in the back of her mind when she went to work and made her blush at random intervals throughout the day, which always made her assistant, Podrick, worry over her. Evenstar Architects was a small company that she had only just managed to get off the ground and stressing out beyond measure was something that Podrick had to always look out for in her. Too bad her sweet assistant had no way of knowing it wasn’t just stress that was making her flush and sweat.

God she hoped there was no way of him knowing.

Both Margaery and Sansa didn’t mention the website again, probably so that she wouldn’t feel pressured one way or the other, but the idea of it all didn’t leave her mind. 

Late one night, after a particularly trying day at work, where a collaboration fell through due to Brienne’s client not liking the portfolio of the company they were going to bring in to handle interior design, the note was finally reopened. Brienne slowly keyed in the web address into an incognito window of her browser and blinked at the oddly colourful and almost… tasteful page that sprung up. 

A lot of information was already available on the main page of the website without having to make an account. Brienne found herself scrolling through pages upon pages on safety and felt herself settle in as she clicked more and more links detailing the role of trust in BDSM.

When Brienne looked at the clock again, she was surprised to realize that an hour had passed since she had ventured onto the website and she hadn’t even read anything that directly pertained to bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, or masochism. It wasn’t that the opportunity hadn’t been there for her to explore those pages, it was just that, although those were the core concepts of BDSM, the tenants of safety and trust were constantly reiterated _everywhere_. 

Brienne stood up and retrieved a glass of water before she clicked on her first non-safety related page. There she found an extensive, though it was emphasized, not comprehensive, list of acts that were associated with BDSM. Brienne felt herself heat up. She gulped down one-third of her glass of water before she clicked on the first search that caught her interest and didn’t seem too risqué: blindfolds.

Brienne pursed her lips as she read about: the purpose of blindfolds, which she found pretty self explanatory; the sensual nature of blindfolds, which she wasn’t completely convinced of; the different materials that could be used for blindfolds, there were a lot of them; and safety regarding blindfolds, she hadn’t really thought about the fact that blindfolds could even be unsafe. Brienne bit down hard on her lower lip as she read about how something as simple as a blindfold required a lot of trust and then clicked back when she realized that for her a blindfold would actually require a cosmic eon of trust. 

She wasn’t just uncomfortable with her partner being blindfolded, it would be the same as turning off the lights after all -she was also wary of being blindfolded herself. To not see if the other person was mocking her, to not know the disgust they may be feeling… it had everything to do with the dark.

It was through exploring these pages that Brienne began to understand what some of the benefits of making an account would be, other than being able to chat with other users on the website. Everything on the front end of the website was very informational and none of it was personal. 

And maybe for some people reading on it was enough, but for her… it wasn’t. However, once it finally got personal, was also when it got scary. It was when she had to be vulnerable, expose herself to the people of that world, or at least that’s what Brienne felt as she stared at the Sign Up page. 

Signing up boasted not just the chance to find someone to actually… try some of the listed things out with and a more personal and personalized look into the world of BDSM, but it also guaranteed having one of the Martell’s being available at all times for questions and for ‘personal training lessons’, which is what Brienne guessed was what Margaery had taken advantage of when she had gone to Dorne. 

She chewed on her lip again as she thought back to the dom/sub page she had spent a good chunk of her time on. A couple of the things listed on the website could be done alone, but most of the core tenants of BDSM? The things she was interested in? Not really. To really get the benefit of most things, there had to be another. 

Brienne read through all of the terms and conditions until it felt like her eyes were going to fall out, then entered the necessary details and hit submit. The first page that popped up asked for her to create a username and Brienne’s brain quickly latched onto her favourite historical fairytale. 

BlueKnight wasn’t taken.

Brienne closed the incognito page and threw herself into bed and buried her whole self beneath the covers in an effort to prevent her inevitable combustion. She could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks.

The website hadn’t been pornographic in any way. But what that had done instead was allow Brienne to conjure up her own images when she read through all of the different pages. 

As she laid in the dark, her hands crept under the waistbands of her pajama pants and her underwear. Brienne wondered what it would be like to submit to someone. To be vulnerable with someone. To trust someone to take care of her and bring her pleasure. 

Once puberty had passed and it was apparent that she was never going to be ‘conventionally’ pretty, the supportive comments had changed. They had told her she could now easily excel at sports, be an athlete, which she had and still did enjoy doing. They had told her that she would have to learn to get by in the world without society’s expectation of good looks, grow a backbone to get through - and she had, even if sometimes it internally faltered. They had told her that she would have to carve a place for herself as a strong, independent woman, which she had by starting Evenstar Architects all on her own. 

But…

But she was a woman who didn’t want to feel like she _had_ to be in charge all of the time.

One of Brienne’s hands went to spread her heated and wet folds while the fingers of the other slowly slicked through her building arousal and began to methodically massage at the small, aching bundle of nerves. 

She wondered what it would be like for her to seem like she had no control when she, in actuality, had all of the control. 

Two of the fingers that had been swirling around her clit traced down from the apex of her sex and she slowly buried them inside herself to the first knuckle, biting down a moan. 

What would it be like to not have sex in the dark? What would it be like to see someone take pleasure in pleasuring her? What would it be like to take pleasure in giving pleasure to someone else?

What would it be like to feel pleasure during sex?

What would it feel like to trust someone during sex?

Brienne trembled at her own touch as her toes curled and the muscles in her thighs tightened.

What would it be like to trust someone enough to have them slip a blindfold over her eyes and for her not to be afraid? Not to fear that somehow it meant they didn’t want to see her.

Euphoria washed over Brienne like a tidal wave and she felt all of her muscles relax at once. Her chest heaved with panting breaths while she saw stars and trembled in the aftermath. She slipped her fingers back out from under her pajamas before she turned to her side, closed her eyes and laid to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:
> 
> BlueKnight wasn't taken. <\--- But she will be. Soon-ish.


	2. Goldenhand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this fic, I did quite a bit of reading and tried to understand, best I could, good practices in the BDSM community (doesn't mean all the characters will necessarily do all those good practices though). That being said, there is so much knowledge out there and differing opinions that I think I've only gotten a toe in the water. If you're interested, make sure to look into it yourself and have fun. I definitely did!
> 
> I'm also going to apologize now, because it's only going to get worse for story purposes. I am only vaguely aware of what architects do and internet reading has made me more confused (I'm still trying my best though), so I'm so very sorry if I have this all wrong D:
> 
> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing. You are the best.
> 
> Also... I know I said every two weeks... but I got excited xD

Although her account was made and she visited the website nearly every evening after that first one, it took a couple more days before Brienne actually logged back in again.

When she did, it was on a Friday night with a glass of wine by her side and the rest of the bottle within arms reach.

The moment Brienne logged in, her account chimed with new chat requests.

_PrincessofThorns is requesting to chat_

_PrincessofThorns is now chatting with BlueKnight_

_PrincessofThorns: BRIENNE!!!!! YOU DECIDED TO JOIN. LET ME SEND YOU ALL THE BEST FORUMS!!!!_

_BlueKnight: Have you just been hovering waiting for me to join?_

_PrincessofThorns: Of course!!!!! ;*_

_BlueKnight: I should have known_

Brienne couldn’t stop the small smile from appearing on her face as Margaery continued to inundate her with messages and links, too many exclamation marks and all. 

_PrincessofThorns: Do you have your wine because it’s about to be a wild ride!!!!_

_BlueKnight: I do_

_PrincessofThorns: Great minds_

_PrincessofThorns: Okay. Okay. So. The forums here are more like chatrooms, the moment you join, it tells everyone else in there that you’ve joined so that it’s easier for people to talk to you, but you can also just lurk_

_PrincessofThorns: More importantly, you can also leave and CLEAVE yourself of that interest :x_

_PrincessofThorns: Like the time I joined one of the pet forums_

_PrincessofThorns: It was not the kind of pet forum I was looking for D: :x_

Brienne pursed her lips. And then couldn’t help herself.

_BlueKnight: … which kind was it?_

_PrincessofThorns: Wouldn’t you like to know??????!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D_

She was glad that Margaery was here on the forum with her. It made the awkwardness immediately fade. Having Margaery spam her with forums felt the same as when she had dragged her on a shopping trip to a street covered with small boutiques, gripping her hand tightly while yanking her around, and had pointed out all the things that would look marvelous on her.

_RedViper (Admin) and Paramour (Admin) are requesting to group chat_

_BlueKnight has joined the group chat._

_RedViper (Admin): Welcome to_ _Seven Silks and Sands_ _, BlueKnight. I am Oberyn Martell. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please feel free to contact Ellaria or myself at anytime_

_Paramour (Admin): You can always use this chat window if you feel either of us can answer your query or you can also start a private conversation with just one of us if you prefer_

_Paramour (Admin): Anything you would like to keep confidential to one of us will be kept so, unless it breaks our terms and conditions_

_RedViper (Admin): I hope you’ll enjoy your time here_

_RedViper (Admin): Have fun ;) and remember: safe, sane, and consensual_

_Paramour (Admin): And also always remember you are welcome to Dorne <3 _

_BlueKnight: Thank you_

_Paramour (Admin): Anytime, lovely_

Brienne stared at the conversation wondering if she was being too awkward or too short with the administrators who were obviously making an effort to be friendly with her, but then the logical part of her brain thought that her behaviour couldn’t be abnormal since there was not much else she could say to them. Maybe she could find something to ask them about later.

_PrincessofThorns: Oh and this forum is great for meeting people our age_

_PrincessofThorns: But beware, the moment you even hint that you might be in your 20’s—_

_WagMyStaff is requesting to chat_

_WagMyStaff is now chatting with BlueKnight_

_WagMyStaff: Do you have a daddy kink? A grand daddy kink?_

_BlueKnight has blocked WagMyStaff_

_BlueKnight: By… the… Seven…_

_PrincessofThorns: I wasn’t fast enough was I????_

_PrincessofThorns: I’m so sorry!!! But it’s like every 20 something’s rite of passage on this website. Or the poor suckers who join that forum, actually xD xD xD_

_BlueKnight: What have I done?_

_PrincessofThorns: DON’T LET HIM SCARE YOU OFF_

_PrincessofThorns: THEY AREN’T ALL LIKE THAT_

_PrincessofThorns: HE’S JUST REALLY FAST_

_PrincessofThorns: In all respects ;)_

_PrincessofThorns: Or so I’ve heard :D :D_

_BlueKnight: Stop Margaery!_

_PrincessofThorns: Here, let me give you a better experience with someone else on this forum_

_PrincessofThorns and QueenofThorns (Mod) are requesting to group chat_

_BlueKnight: No… NO_

_PrincessofThorns: YES_

_BlueKnight: MY GODS_

_PrincessofThorns: Decline if you want… but you_ don’t _want to, trust me ;)_

_BlueKnight has joined the group chat._

_QueenofThorns (Mod): Oh deary, have you managed to snare another one into our wonderful world?_

_QueenofThorns (Mod): BlueKnight? What a wonderful name. Singular character._

_PrincessofThorns: Nana, it’s BRIENNE D:_

_QueenofThorns (Mod): Oh Brienne, dear! I should have known it would be you._

_BlueKnight: … Hi Nana Olenna_

_QueenofThorns (Mod): Oh dearie, we’ll get you out of your shell._

Despite the minor horror that was WagMyStaff, Brienne ended up enjoying her time chatting with Margaery as she sent her what felt like a million different forums to join. Olenna was a little bit more reserved in quantity, but about five thousand times more salacious in quality.

_QueenofThorns (Mod): Dear, you will learn to appreciate the Firm Butts forum._

_QueenofThorns (Mod): Especially when some of those bottoms have obviously just enjoyed a fulfilling scene with gratuitous impact play._

_PrincessofThorns: Nana, I think Brienne may have blue screened! xD xD xD_

_QueenofThorns (Mod): She does have very blue eyes._

_PrincessofThorns: Not what that means Nana!!!_

* * *

By Saturday night, Brienne felt confident enough to go looking for forums on her own. Forums that wouldn’t have fallen on Margaery’s radar. Forums like tall, Tall, TALL.

_KissedbyFire is requesting to chat_

_KissedbyFire is now chatting with BlueKnight_

_KissedbyFire: are ye a lady knight?_

_BlueKnight: I am a woman_

_KissedbyFire: how tall are you?_

_BlueKnight: Six foot four_

_KissedbyFire: beautiful_

Brienne felt herself flush and gulped down a mouthful of wine. She was about to reply when _—_

_KissedbyFire: i like big women_

Brienne coughed as some of the wine went down the wrong pipe.

Not enough to block him, but… she wasn’t going to reply to that.

_PrincessofThorns: Have you tried talking to anyone first yet????_

_BlueKnight: Guess_

_PrincessofThorns: Doooo itttttt. Look for a cool username_

_BlueKnight: A cool username_

_PrincessofThorns: I can feel your judgment from here. Brienne!!!!! -_-_

_PrincessofThorns: But you have to start somewhere_

_PrincessofThorns: Look for a username that calls out to you and then check if you have common forums! :D Tells you a lot about a person and their interests_

_PrincessofThorns: Try it!!!_

_PrincessofThorns: And if they suck_

_PrincessofThorns: BLOCK ‘EM!!!!!_

_PrincessofThorns: BAM_

Brienne shook her head as she realized that she had given Margaery too many concessions. If only a smile wasn’t on her face as well, she would take her disapproval of Margaery’s antics more seriously.

It had only been two days of chatting on the forums, but she was having _fun_. She hadn’t actually gotten anywhere close to anything sexual yet, she had gotten more info from the main pages than the forums, but it was interesting to meet the variety of people that were in the BDSM community. Including the admins.

_Paramour (Admin): He is annoying, but he is never actually breaking the terms and conditions. Also the tactic apparently works!_

_BlueKnight: Really?_

_Paramour (Admin): Many are into the daddy and granddaddy kink ;) and since he’s so forward…_

_BlueKnight: Wow!_

_BlueKnight: To each their own_

_Paramour: Isn’t it wonderful? Everyone is so different and yet we can all come together under a common interest_

_BlueKnight: It is quite wonderful. You and Oberyn have built something great_

_Paramour (Admin): You’re making me blush. Thank you_

_Paramour (Admin): If you ever want to come to Dorne ;)_

_BlueKnight: Maybe someday_

_Paramour (Admin): Wonderful!!!!_

_Paramour (Admin): Oberyn will be so excited. Can I tell him?_

_BlueKnight: It’s just a maybe someday!_

_Paramour (Admin): I know, but that’s still lovely._

_BlueKnight: You can tell him_

_Paramour (Admin): WONDERFUL DAY_

* * *

It was at 9 pm on Sunday night when she found the Historical Fairy Tales forum.

Compared to many of the other forums, it didn’t look like it had that much activity, but Brienne wasn’t surprised - the forum actually seemed like it was there for the active discussion of history. Historical Role Play and Fairy Tale Role Play had their own chatrooms.

Brienne scrolled up in the backlog of chats, wondering if she would find out something new about her typical hobby from her… new hobby.

That was when she saw _it_.

And really…

It wasn’t like she couldn’t.

Margaery had been insisting after all.

_You have requested to chat with Goldenhand._

Brienne gulped down a couple mouthfuls of water and right clicked on the username to see what other forums Goldenhand was part of. She nearly snorted the water right back out of her nose when she saw he was also part of tall, Tall, TALL.

_Goldenhand is now chatting with BlueKnight_

Brienne blinked at the notification. She hadn’t actually thought he, _maybe a he_ , would accept her chat so soon, considering how long ago he had last commented in the Historical Fairy Tales forum.

_Goldenhand: Do you actually know the significance of your username?_

_BlueKnight: Do you know yours?_

_Goldenhand: Blue knight, man or woman?_

_Goldenhand: Not you, the character_

_BlueKnight: WOMAN_

_Goldenhand: Good, you have some common sense_

_BlueKnight: Otherwise her knighting wouldn’t have been so monumental_

_Goldenhand: Exactly!_

Brienne bit her bottom lip and decided to do it since he had been the first to quiz her.

_BlueKnight: Alright. I have one for you_

_BlueKnight: Goldenhand and blue knight, romantic or platonic?_

_Goldenhand: Is that even a question_

_BlueKnight: Depends on your answer_

_Goldenhand: One of those answers immediately makes you irrelevant and I will block you_

_BlueKnight: Not if I block you first_

_Goldenhand: 3, 2, 1?_

_BlueKnight: 3_

_BlueKnight: 2_

_Goldenhand: 2_

_BlueKnight: 1_

_Goldenhand: Romabtic_

_BlueKnight: Romantic_

_Goldenhand: Hello, nice to meet you_

_BlueKnight: Nice to meet you, too_

* * *

_BlueKnight: I DON’T CARE THAT IT HAD A GOLDEN LION FOR A POMMEL_

_BlueKnight: IT BELONGED TO HOUSE TARTH_

_Goldenhand: WRONG WRONG WRONG_

_Goldenhand: You are so WRONG_

_Goldenhand: Oh SHIT. It’s 2 am_

_BlueKnight: WHAT_

_BlueKnight: By the Seven!_

_BlueKnight: I have work tomorrow_

_BlueKnight: Goodnight_

_Goldenhand: You going to be around tomorrow?_

Brienne licked her suddenly very dry lips.

_BlueKnight: Yeah_

_Goldenhand: Until tomorrow, then_

_Goldenhand: Goodnight, Blue Knight_

* * *

“You look like you had a long night,” Margaery grinned from Brienne’s office door, two coffees in hand.

“Give me.”

“Please tell me you ghosted me for a guy,” Margaery grinned as she sauntered up to Brienne’s desk and placed the cup directly into Brienne’s reaching and grabby hands. Podrick had gone on his lunch break and Margaery’s appearance with caffeine had been extraordinarily well timed.

“How do you know I was up late?” Brienne asked before taking a small sip of her coffee, deeming it cool enough to gulp, and then chugged a quarter of the cup down.

“Your profile said you were still online when I went to sleep at the more respectable time of 11 pm. How late did you stay up?” Margaery asked as she rounded to Brienne’s side of the desk and leant on it, sitting as close as she could

Brienne mumbled.

“What was that?”

“Two, okay? I stayed up until two.”

“I didn’t even know that you existed at two!” Margaery exclaimed as she somehow managed to arch her body so that she was in Brienne’s face and nearly splayed on the desk. It was ridiculous how _languid_ Margaery was. “Tell me about the guy.”

“He has terrible opinions on Oathkeeper.”

Margaery’s face fell. “What? Oathkeeper? What?” Brienne gave Margaery a hard look and watched it click. “The sword?” Margaery shouted and shot up ramrod straight back on her feet.

Brienne thanked the Seven that she was used to Margaery’s sudden volume changes, “Yes, the sword.”

Margaery turned Brienne’s chair to face her and placed a hand on her shoulder, “Please tell me you mean like, _his_ Oathkeeper. The one in his pants.”

“No!”

“Brienne!”

“I know, okay!”

Margaery sighed and shook her head, but her next words were affectionate, “Leave it to you to talk actual swords on a BDSM forum.”

“It just happened...” Brienne tried to defend herself.

“Alright, do you mind telling me who he is? This way I’ll know if there’s any hope.”

Brienne tipped her head back and forth as though she were in deliberation, but she couldn’t do it to Margaery for long. Plus… a part of her wanted to know if _it_ could continue. “His username is Goldenhand.”

Margaery’s eyes widened. “Goldenhand?”

Brienne eyed Margaery warily, “You know of him? Should I be worried?” Then Margaery did something that Margaery very rarely did - she chewed on her bottom lip. That was a classic Brienne move and it made her kind of sweat to see Margaery do it. “Margaery?”

Margaery seemed to shake herself out of a stupor before she met Brienne’s eyes again, “He’s a good guy.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Then why the pause?”

Margaery sighed and sat down normally on Brienne’s desk, swinging her legs back and forth. She took a sip of her coffee and then finally murmured, “I think that’s only something he can tell you. All I can say is that I think you found a good guy. Don’t know if your BDSM interests will line up, but—” 

“You sure?”

“As sure as I can be, considering I’ve never personally met him,” Margaery shrugged. “Though, it’s only going to go somewhere if you talk about his _metaphorical_ sword.”

“Margaery!”

“Mention that you know me. It’s best for him to know. Also, tell him I didn’t say anything.”

Brienne stared at Margaery as she smiled at her encouragingly. “Okay.”

* * *

_BlueKnight: PrincessofThorns tells me you’re a ‘good guy’_

_Goldenhand: You know PrincessofThorns?_

_BlueKnight: She told me to tell you she didn’t say anything_

_Goldenhand: Oh_

_Goldenhand: Tell her thank you_

_Goldenhand: And that she could have sold me a little bit better than ‘good guy’_

_BlueKnight: If she called you fabulous, I would be more suspicious_

_Goldenhand: Fabulous isn’t exactly the word I was thinking_

_BlueKnight: And if she called you sensuous, then I would have blocked you_

_Goldenhand: Gasp. So judgmental_

_Goldenhand: Also_

_Goldenhand: Sensuous?_

_Goldenhand: I am sensuous_

_BlueKnight: Don’t make me do it_

_BlueKnight: I’m hovering over the button_

_Goldenhand: You wouldn’t_

_Goldenhand: You already like me too much_

_BlueKnight: Like arguing_

_Goldenhand: That’s still liking_

_Goldenhand: But I guess that segues into the obvious question we haven’t asked each other yet_

_BlueKnight: What are you looking for here?_

_Goldenhand: What are you looking for here_

_BlueKnight: You first_

_BlueKnight: Please_

_Goldenhand: Since you’re being so polite_

_Goldenhand: I’m a new dom looking for a sub that is willing to try things out with me_

Brienne wheezed.

_Goldenhand: You still there?_

_BlueKnight: Yes_

_Goldenhand: What are you looking for?_

_BlueKnight: I’m new but …_

Brienne felt herself flushing. This couldn’t be true, right? That the first person that she decided to talk to on this forum knew so much about historical fairy tales and also happened to be the type of person she was looking for. It would only be more perfect if he was somewhat experienced, but still experimenting.

_BlueKnight: I’m new but I was interested in subbing_

_Goldenhand: Is that so?_

_BlueKnight: May be so_

_Goldenhand: I live in King’s Landing_

Brienne’s mouth ran dry. King’s Landing was huge. There was no way that one would be able to find someone with just the knowledge that they lived in the megalopolis. Her hands shook as she typed out her next message.

_BlueKnight: So do I_

_Goldenhand: I see_

_BlueKnight: MARGAERY_

_PrincessofThorns: Ohhhhhhhhh, all caps!!!! :D_

_PrincessofThorns: What, what, what????_

_BlueKnight: WHAT DO I DO_

_PrincessofThorns: I know what you can do!!!!!!_

_PrincessofThorns: You can give me more context xD xD xD_

_PrincessofThorns: Go get a glass of wine and tell meee_

_Goldenhand: BlueKnight?_

_BlueKnight: Goldenhand lives in King’s Landing and he’s interested in domming_

_PrincessofThorns: OooHHHHhhhhhhh :o_

_PrincessofThorns: I like this context *-*_

_PrincessofThorns: Do you want to meet up with him?_

_BlueKnight: I’ve only known him for two days_

_BlueKnight: TWO_

_PrincessofThorns: Good point_

_BlueKnight: I told him I’m new_

_PrincessofThorns: Good. Then he should be well aware that meeting up now might be too soon for you C:_

_PrincessofThorns: Tell him you’d like to get to know him more_

_PrincessofThorns: Know his interests more_

_Goldenhand: You still there?_

_PrincessofThorns: And if your interests continue to line up ;p_

_PrincessofThorns: And you feel comfortable_

_PrincessofThorns: Go grab a coffee with him_

_Goldenhand: Hey. Just so you know. I’m not expecting anything from you just because we live in the same city and you like me_

_PrincessofThorns: AND THEN GET UNDER HIM 8==D (*)_

_BlueKnight: Like arguing with you!_

_Goldenhand: She lives_

_BlueKnight: Okay_

_PrincessofThorns: Okay?!?!?!?! o.O OoO_

_PrincessofThorns: His sword must be something else :3_

_BlueKnight: NO MARGAERY_

_BlueKnight: THAT WASN’T IN REPLY TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT GETTING UNDER HIM_

_PrincessofThorns: xD xD xD_

_PrincessofThorns: Beside him???_

_PrincessofThorns: Ooooohhhh, on top of him. You should get on top of him_

_BlueKnight: Um… as I said, I’m new so…_

_Goldenhand: We just met yesterday_

_Goldenhand: And have only just broken the surface_

_BlueKnight: Thank you for saying it_

_Goldenhand: I understand. It’s hard being new_

_Goldenhand: Are you looking for just scenes or life?_

_BlueKnight: Um…_

Brienne couldn’t believe that she was going to tell a random stranger this, but this was the point of the website, of the forum, of chatting, she reasoned. She still took two deep breaths to psych herself up.

_BlueKnight: Just scenes and…_

_BlueKnight: Oh god_

_BlueKnight: Sorry, I’m so new at this_

_BlueKnight: This is so awkward_

_Goldenhand: Take your time_

_Goldenhand: It never becomes not awkward_

_BlueKnight: And just sex_

_Goldenhand: So you’re looking for just a dom/sub relationship within sexual scenes?_

_BlueKnight: Yes_

_BlueKnight: But like… and tell me if this weird_

_BlueKnight: But I’d like to be friends with my dom partner… person outside of that, too_

_BlueKnight: I don’t think I could just meet up with them just for scenes. That would be too much for me_

_BlueKnight: Or too little?_

_BlueKnight: I mean, I wouldn’t be able to build enough trust just meeting up with them for scenes_

_BlueKnight: You know?_

_BlueKnight: But don’t get me wrong!_

_BlueKnight: I’m not looking for something romantic either_

_BlueKnight: I just don’t want to sleep with a stranger_

_BlueKnight: I’m going to shut up now_

_Goldenhand: Friends?_

_BlueKnight: He thinks I’m weird_

_BlueKnight: He definitely thinks I’m weird_

_PrincessofThorns: ???_

_BlueKnight: Oh GODS. Margaery why did I say that???_

_BlueKnight: Why can’t I be like suave and blasé?_

_PrincessofThorns: Once again Brienne_

_PrincessofThorns: Context!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_Goldenhand: Whether or not the dom/sub thing works out_

_Goldenhand: I’d like to get to know you as a friend_

_BlueKnight: Really?_

_Goldenhand: There’s not that many people, even outside of BDSM forums, that care all that much about historical fairy tales_

_BlueKnight: OH MAYBE NOT_

_BlueKnight: Oh by the Seven Marg, he’s so nice_

_PrincessofThorns: WHAT???_

_PrincessofThorns: BRIENNE, WHAT????_

_PrincessofThorns: TELL ME WHAT IS HAPPENING_

_Goldenhand: But only if you admit that Oathkeeper was a Lannister sword_

_BlueKnight: Ignore that_

_BlueKnight: He’s an annoying idiot_

_PrincessofThorns: BRIENNE, I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING!!!!! D:_

_PrincessofThorns: YOU’RE TORTURING ME -_- </3 _

Brienne’s cell phone rang but when she saw Margaery’s face appear on the screen, she hit the red button.

_Goldenhand: It’ll be great. We could go to the Red Keep museum and I could introduce you to the curator Arthur Dayne._

_Goldenhand: “Arthur. Meet BlueKnight, my friend.”_

_Goldenhand: “We met on a BDSM forum.”_

_BlueKnight: You wouldn’t_

_Goldenhand: I would_

_BlueKnight: … Do you actually know Arthur Dayne?_

_Goldenhand: I do_

_BlueKnight: Don’t you dare introduce me like that_

_Goldenhand: Is the reward worth the risk?_

_BlueKnight: … Maybe_

_PrincessofThorns: BRIENNE ANSWER THE PHONE!!!! GIVE ME THE CONTEXT!!!!!!_

_PrincessofThorns: Brienne?_

_PrincessofThorns: BRIENNEEEEE_

_BlueKnight: Margaery_

_BlueKnight: MARGAERY!!!!_

_BlueKnight: I might get the chance to meet THE Arthur Dayne!!!!!_

_PrincessofThorns: Who???? o.O_

* * *

It took two more days before Brienne downloaded the Seven Silks and Sands app on her phone, enabling her to chat with Goldenhand _—_ with _anyone_ on the forum at any time.

_Goldenhand: Working hard or hardly working?_

_BlueKnight: I’m going to guess you’re hardly working_

_Goldenhand: And you’d be wrong_

A knock sounded against her door frame, “Miss Tarth?”

Brienne looked up from her phone and gave Podrick a sheepish grin. “Come in Podrick, what do you have for me?”

Podrick stumbled into the room with several large binders in his arms and Brienne stood up to take a little more than half the stack and place it on her desk before they were poured haphazardly on her floor. “These are the portfolios of several other interior design companies in King’s Landing.”

Brienne sighed, “Do any of them look promising?”

Podrick tilted his head to the side as though in contemplation and then dug out one of the files, “All of them do. I narrowed it down to only the companies that have a different style than the original contractor.”

“Which was…”

Podrick gave her a small, but cheeky grin, waving the one file in his hand, “All but their sister company.”

“Great Gods, no wonder you looked like you were about to be buried under the stack of them.”

“There’s another pile out there,” Podrick stated as he pointed his thumb out towards his desk, “But they’re outside of the client’s budget.”

Brienne stared at the giant stack of useless portfolios on Pod’s desk. Her eyebrow twitched, but Pod’s smile was so earnest. “You’ve done well Podrick. Maybe next time narrow down the portfolios before printing them out, though.”

“Will do, Miss Tarth!” Brienne patted her assistant on the head even though she really shouldn’t have.

“Go grab some lunch, Pod, and store those portfolios away. Maybe we can use them for a future client.”

The phone rang.

“Yes Miss Tarth!”

Podrick then skipped out of her office as Brienne took the one step back to her desk and picked up her phone. Podrick was a good assistant, even if he had quite a couple lapses in judgement. He made up for it in levity and hard work, though. “Evenstar Architects, Lead Architect Brienne Tarth speaking. How may I help you?”

“Hello Miss Tarth, this is Renly Baratheon, Robert Baratheon’s younger brother.”

“Hello Mr. Baratheon, how may I help you?”

“My brother has asked me to take over the building of Baratheon Estates and I was wondering if I would be able to set up a meeting with you in order to properly transfer the project.”

“Oh. I wasn’t informed of this development.”

“My apologies, Miss Tarth. As I’m sure you know, my brother can be _—_ ” Renly sighed, “A lot.”

Brienne chuckled under her breath, “I don’t see what you mean, Mr. Baratheon.”

“Renly, please. And you are awfully polite, Miss Tarth.”

“Brienne, please.”

“Brienne,” she could almost hear Renly smiling from the other side of the phone, “I’ll make sure Robert comes to the first meeting and then we’ll go from there. Would next Friday, 9 am, work for you?”

* * *

_Goldenhand: I mean, we may need to chat more about this in person, if we_ do _meet, but what kind of things are you interested in as a sub?_

Brienne laid in bed and contemplated Goldenhand’s questions.

_BlueKnight: I’m interested in trust_

The moment she wrote it though, she cursed herself for, once again, writing something stupid. It took him a while to reply, which didn’t help her nerves at all, but when he did...

_Goldenhand: That’s what I’m looking for, too_

A lull in conversation followed, that allowed Brienne to breath a little again. She smiled at her screen and turned so that her cheek rested on the pillow.

_Goldenhand: But also rope bondage_

_Goldenhand: Yay, nay, maybe, not yet, need to read up on it more?_

Brienne let out a puff of indignation, but also laughter, as she squirmed on the bed.

_BlueKnight: Yay_

_BlueKnight: But don’t you need to have a lot of experience for that?_

_Goldenhand: I have a lot of experience. I’ll show you when we meet_

_Goldenhand: Uh… if we meet_

_Goldenhand: Sorry_

_BlueKnight: That’s okay_

_Goldenhand: Look up some of the knots, you can just practice them on some sturdy rope_

_Goldenhand: Don’t need to tie anyone up to practice the technique_

Rope bondage. It had been one of the things that had caught her attention when she had been exploring the main page. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but it was her experience with sailing knots that had made her check it out. Turns out, there was a lot of application from one to the other.

_BlueKnight: I’m sorry. It’s getting late and I can’t stay up until 2 am again_

_Goldenhand: All that matters is that you want to stay up_

_BlueKnight: Pompous_

_BlueKnight: What if I want to stay up because of someone else_

_Goldenhand: Ah, then you wouldn’t have revealed your 2 am hand_

_BlueKnight: GOODNIGHT_

_Goldenhand: Goodnight, Blue Knight_

Brienne did not immediately go to sleep. Instead she rolled towards her nightstand, opened the bottom drawer, pulled out her rabbit and lube, and tried really, really hard not to think about the fact that she was getting off by imagining who Goldenhand was and how he would tie her up.

* * *

It took nearly two weeks of chatting with Goldenhand before Brienne decided that she needed to tell him the truth.

_BlueKnight: I’m not very pretty_

_BlueKnight: If anything I’m considered ugly_

_Goldenhand: Who considers you ugly?_

Brienne blinked at her screen and thought about it. She felt the answer around in her mouth, “My ex-boyfriend, a group of guys who were betting on my virginity, my childhood bullies, my babysitters, my coaches…” she wanted to say _everyone_ , but couldn’t.

She couldn’t because Margaery had never said as such, because Sansa had never said as such, because her brother had never said as such, and because her father had never said as such. Her younger half-siblings had even called her “pwetty”. Now that she thought about it, no one who had bothered to get to know her had said as such.

But she was ugly. She was hideous. And just because the people who loved her didn’t think so, didn’t mean that she wasn’t.

_BlueKnight: I’m not blind. The mirror does_

_Goldenhand: Mirrors hardly reflect the beauty that matters_

_Goldenhand: Trust me. I once trusted what the mirror reflected as well_

That made Brienne finally wonder what Goldenhand looked like. In her mind's eye she had imagined him as fairly handsome. A fanciful hope that the random historial fairy tales expert she had randomly found on a BDSM forum and who was interested in being the other half of their BDSM relationship was good looking and somehow also _liked_ her.

But his comment made her think - think that maybe he was just plain looking… or maybe even unattractive. Or maybe just unattractive by his own standards, Brienne revised in her head, although he didn’t seem to mind and still gave off an air of confidence.

It made her ponder. Just because he wasn’t the handsome man that had initially taken her imagination, did it mean she liked him any less?

No.

He was still Goldenhand and it was her who had assigned a strange beauty standard over him that she had hopelessly imagined for herself. Over the past week he had shown himself to be infuriating, teasing, and irreverent, but he was also patient, knowledgeable, and carelessly sweet. 

Like now. 

She liked him. 

She really liked him.

And he seemed like he would be a good person to have her first BDSM experience with.

If he liked her too.

If he still wanted to meet up with her.

Both of which, maybe foolishly, she thought he did.

It would be nice, if their interests continued to line up once they met in person and they could get to actually know each other, not over the internet. That was, if he wasn’t immediately repulsed by the sight of her. 

Brienne could feel her cheeks heating up as she thought about the fact that she _wanted_ to meet up with Goldenhand in person. Take that risk, and if he found her lacking, just wipe her hands clean of him before she got in too deep.

They had established early on what they would say once one of them was ready. 

Brienne’s fingers twitched.

_BlueKnight: What’s your name?_

And what would happen if the other was ready too.

_Goldenhand: Jaime_

_Goldenhand: My name is Jaime_

_Goldenhand: What’s yours?_

_BlueKnight: Brienne_

_Goldenhand: Brienne_

_Goldenhand: Book Wyrm Café, Street of Flour, Saturday at 1 pm, Brienne?_

_BlueKnight: Okay_

_BlueKnight: Jaime_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing a modern AU from Brienne's POV... and it's almost too easy.
> 
> lewispanda beta comment of the chapter: 
> 
> PrincessofThorns: And if they suck <\-- Isn't it the whole point of it? For them to eventually suck?


	3. Jaime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reception to this fic has been absolutely amazing!!! Thank you to everyone who is reading and commenting. I'm glad people are liking it so far and I hope everyone will continue to like where it's going! You can get snippets and ask me question via my [tumblr](https://eryiscrye.tumblr.com/)! 
> 
> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

“Sansa, you know that I only let you come along because I trusted that you would be calmer than Margaery, right?”

Sansa stopped trying to look around Brienne and gazed up at her instead, her bright blue eyes framed in long dark eyelashes. Brienne pursed her lips, preparing herself to remain stern in the light of Sansa’s sweet and adorable  _ blatant _ manipulation. “But Brienne,” Sansa whined, “What if we need to identify him if you go missing.”

“You can’t memorize what every person in there looks like in under a minute, Sansa.”

“Then what if I go in before you, get a table, and see who you meet up with?”

“You are the opposite of covert.” Also, Brienne didn’t want to see Goldenhand’s -  _ Jaime’s _ face, whichever face it may be - light up when he saw pretty Sansa walk into the Book Wyrm, only for her not to be the BlueKnight, and for the giant, monstrous, manly woman who came in after her to be  _ her _ instead. She loved Sansa, but Brienne would not be able to deal with that, no matter the sweet things he had messaged her. It was different, seeing ugliness in person. 

Sansa pouted as she peered around Brienne to the other side of the street where the storefront of Book Wyrm Café stood in all of its glory. When Brienne had first seen the place while she had been walking down the street with Sansa on her arm, she hadn’t been able to help the smile that had bloomed on her face. From the outer décor, it was obvious the café was historical fairy tale themed. “Do you think he’s already there?”

Brienne looked at the time on her phone - it was about five minutes before their meeting time. “Maybe. I hope so.”

Sansa stood straight up again, grasped Brienne’s shoulders and looked at her seriously, “You have Margaery and I on speed dial?”

Brienne smiled at her friend, “I do.”

“If you don’t call me at two, by two-oh-one, I will be calling the police!”

“I have an alarm set for one fifty five to call you, and an alarm set at two fifty five to call Margaery.”

Sansa nodded seriously, then reached to brush a strand of flaxen hair behind Brienne’s ear. “Have fun, okay? And if he’s an absolute mess, just call me any time and we’ll go and gorge on cupcakes or something.”

“I’ll probably want to blow off steam at the gym if it—“ And then Brienne remembered.

Sansa’s eyes burned with icy fury for a moment before she clenched Brienne’s arm, “Have you found a new one yet?”

Brienne sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “No, but I haven’t really been looking.”

Sansa nodded and then squeezed Brienne’s arm again, “If he’s a no go we’ll take a run by the bay or something.”

“And then gorge on cupcakes?”

Sansa’s whole demeanor relaxed and she gave Brienne a hug, “And then we’ll gorge on cupcakes!” She squeaked in delight, “Okay, okay, get going before you’re late!”

Brienne nodded as Sansa gave her a small push. She crossed the road before looking back at her friend. When she did, she saw Sansa give her a big full body wave, not budging from her scouting spot, Brienne suspected, until she disappeared inside the café.

Brienne gazed through the windows of the café, which were big and framed in gold etchings that curled into smoky dragons at the corners with Book Wyrm etched in black cursive right through the middle of the pane. It looked fairly busy inside. Both of the tables by the window were occupied, one by potentially a male model, a man who looked half a god in the midday sun as he flipped through a book, and the other by a pair of young women laughing and sipping happily at their tea while evidently chatting away. Brienne took a big breath before pushing open the wooden door. 

A bell overhead chimed and she took the time at the entrance to scan her new environment. Not quite ready yet to look at the faces of the people in the café, Brienne first concentrated really, really hard, on the décor. The walls were draped in tapestries that looked to emulate the Targaryen and Blackfyre houses of ancient Westeros, three headed dragons in red and black. Light birchwood shelves filled with books, merchandise, and trinkets balanced out the dark colour scheme along with an empty white stone fire place that seemed like it hadn’t seen a fire in decades. 

Taking another deep breath and trying not to squirm,  _ or bolt _ , Brienne finally roved her eyes over the faces of the people. As she had seen out from outside, the café was fairly busy with few tables left free. Brienne felt a sense of mild relief that she didn’t know anyone in the crowd, for she couldn’t even fathom the thought of someone she knew interrupting her first time meeting  _ Jaime. _

She looked at her phone again and saw that it was two minutes past one, which meant that it was more than likely that one of the people sitting in the café was him. 

There were only three tables away from the windows that had one male patron, all of them quite plain, but none of them ugly or even unconventional looking. And none of them were wearing a gold coloured scarf. Brienne frowned as she slowly made her way to the coffee counter, trying to see if one of the three men had draped a scarf over the back of their chair. It was quite hot in there, so it would make sense that Jaime hadn’t kept it on. Although one had a burgundy scarf, none of them had a gold one.

Brienne bit her lip and couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Jaime had seen her with her blue scarf while she had been making her way to the café from across the street and had made a break for it. She chewed her lip harder as she tried to swallow the lump that was developing in her throat. Maybe... maybe he just wasn’t here yet. Maybe he was late for the time that  _ he _ had set and just simply hadn’t messaged her. But her inner voice screamed that obviously,  _ obviously _ the first explanation must be true. That Jaime had bolted when he saw her approaching.

“Brienne?”

It was a low, deep voice. One that made her toes curl, the hairs on the back of her neck stand, and her spine tingle. And oh god, she already knew she would never get tired of that voice, the way he had just said her name, no matter what he looked like.

Brienne quickly whipped around, and behind her stood the gold, golden,  _ gold scarfed _ bloody  _ demi-god _ that had been sitting by the window. Somehow,  _ somehow _ , the man looked even better up close. “Jaime?” Brienne managed to gasp out before her mouth dropped open. She hadn’t even realized the man had been wearing a gold scarf when she had seen him from outside; she had seen his handsome face and had immediately scribbled him off the list of potential suspects. 

A smirk pulled at  _ the man’s _ , because they couldn’t possibly be Jaime’s, lips. There was no way those lips were that shiny and that perfect shade of pink naturally; he  _ had _ to be wearing tinted lip-gloss. Even if he wasn’t Jaime, he was definitely going to be  _ the _ face to her wild, nightly imaginings whether she meant it or not. His lips started to move again, “So you  _ are _ Brienne.”

Brienne’s eyes snapped up to his and once again she was awestruck, this time by his practically emerald irises. His eyes widened slightly as their gazes locked and Brienne wondered what part of her face he had just registered: her thrice broken nose, her freckled cheeks, her puffy lips, or her horsey teeth? Brienne knew that she was gaping like a fish, she knew that the expression must’ve made her face look more appalling than usual, but there was no way this was Jaime; because there was no way that this man had ever looked into a mirror and deemed what he saw inadequate. “You  _ can’t _ be Jaime.”

“I’m pretty sure I am,” the man grinned and jerked his head to the table without breaking eye contact, “Grab a seat, I’ll get a coffee for you. The Drogon blend here is one of a kind.”

When Brienne didn’t move and only continued to gape, Jaime quirked an eyebrow, finally breaking eye contact, and strolled past her to the coffee counter. As he passed, he murmured  _ huskily _ into her ear, “Take your time, Blue Knight.”

_ Oh gods, he is Jaime. _ Brienne wasn’t exactly too sure what sound she made in reply. But it was definitely a sound loud and weird enough to gain the attention of one or two patrons in the café and make Jaime snort in the middle of his coffee order. With fire burning on her cheeks, she rushed over to the unoccupied table by the window and took a seat. She ripped off her blue scarf to try and get some cool air on her skin, but it wasn’t helping her furious blush. Instead, she took to staring at the table surface as though it would somehow explain to her the mysteries of the universe, or more precisely, the mysteries of Goldenhand - of Jaime.

A few minutes later a mug of coffee that looked horrendously milky was placed in front of her, and she instantly snapped her head up to look at him again. Yes, he still looked like half a god as he draped his scarf over the back of his chair, only now taking it off in the warm café.  _ He kept it on with purpose. _ The sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up, exposing his forearms. Even his  _ forearms  _ were nice. Brienne was pretty sure that never in her life had she paid attention to a man’s forearms before.

She blurted, “This is never going to work!”

“Wow… I don’t think we even managed to exchange ten words with each other,” Jaime said as he took a seat in his chair and looked at her curiously, his hands gripping around his own mug of very, very milky coffee. His eyes though… his  _ fascinating _ eyes, were definitely clouded with the sting of rejection. 

“It has nothing to do with you!” Brienne continued to word vomit as she waved at herself in panic, “Look at me!” She then waved at him, “Look at you!”

The rejection in his eyes slowly morphed into amusement as understanding seemed to cross his face, which sent a wave of relief through her; but nonetheless, the absolute absurdity of what had just befallen her drowned all her competent thoughts. “Is this about how some people consider you? What you think you see when you look in the mirror?” he asked, quite gently.

Brienne pursed her lips and nodded. She crossed her arms in front of her chest in an effort to hold herself together.

Jaime took a sip of his coffee and seemed to think his words through before he spoke again, “Do you want to know how I consider you Brienne?” he asked. But before she had a chance to answer, before she could point out her mismatched features, her height, and her gait, Jaime continued, “I consider you to be this smart, witty, funny, kind woman…” Jaime smiled, and once again met her eyes as though he couldn’t look away.

Brienne flushed.

The smile then turned back into a smirk, “Who I met on a—“

Brienne shot forward before she even realized what she was doing and had both hands over his mouth before she could rethink her actions, a loud “SHUSH” whooshing out between her teeth. Realizing the spectacle she had just made of herself,  _ because she was not just chatting with him on a private chat, and this was not quite the equivalent of typing LALALALA until he stopped typing what he was typing _ , Brienne’s head dropped as her blush spread down her neck. 

If she had looked up, she would have realized that no one was paying her any mind. Except Jaime, that was. Jaime, whose eyes had once again widened, roaming down her rosy cheeks, neck, and chest.

It was only when Brienne felt vibrations under her palms that she realized she was still covering Jaime’s mouth and that he was laughing. For some reason, she just  _ knew _ that the laughter wasn’t mocking.  _ It was just the same as him typing his inane and infuriating BWAHAHAHAHA whenever he got the stupid upper hand on her. _

Brienne rocked back into her chair with a groan, moving her hands from his face to her own, trying to block out the world around her. Until his voice cut right back in and she peeked through her fingers. Jaime was still shaking with mirth, his gaze unwaveringly on her as he said, “I consider you to be everything that I hoped you’d be and already you’re somehow more.”

* * *

“You’ve actually read Fifty Little Fingers?” Brienne grinned and took another sip of her overly milky and ridiculously sugary coffee. She had managed to wrangle out of Jaime that the absolute  _ heathen _ had poured three milks and three sugars into her mug. 

“Can you please just let me buy you another one? I promise I’ll leave it bitter and disgusting this time,” he tried again.

“No. I really need to absorb the fact that you drink coffee like a child. How do you even taste the one-of-a-kind Drogon blend?” Brienne teased.

Jaime rolled his eyes before replying to her question with a straight face, “I’ve also read Fifty Fingers Darker and Fifty Fingers Freed. L.A. Baelish is a  _ genius _ .”

Brienne pressed her lips into a straight line in an attempt not to snort.

Jaime broke down and chuckled, “They’re all complete rubbish and cause anger to burn in my soul, but I had to know why there were suddenly so many more people who were interested in the community.”

“Were they actually interested in the community?”

“Many of the ones that read all those warning articles that linked them to the proper community, yes.”

“You saw the movies too, didn’t you?”

Jaime grinned, “Oh, definitely. Didn’t see a single cucumber in the theaters though.”

Brienne burst out laughing and Jaime tilted his head as though he was admiring her and her donkey laugh. Brienne contemplated, “I guess it’s good to know where people are coming from because, like it or not, those books draw in a crowd.” 

“Exactly. And I mean, the book and the movie got some things right, even when they got most things horrendously wrong. If anyone were ever to compare me to Crispian, I would have to stab myself.”

“What did they get right?”

“The contract,” Jaime shrugged.

The smile on Brienne’s face dropped, “You’re going to make me sign a contract?” Brienne closed her eyes, counting to three. Anger, disappointment, and a sense of danger flooded through her, all of the fervour of before leaving her body. She should have known it was too good to be true.

But Jaime’s eyebrows were furrowed, “I thought you said you read through most of the material on Seven Silks and Sands. Of course we’re going to create a contract,” Jaime paused for a moment and then said quickly, “Signing it though isn’t necessary, but can be a formality if you’d like, I suppose.”

“Mar— PrincessofThorns said that I should run for the hills if someone tries to make me sign a binding contract,” Brienne muttered as she sat up straight in her seat and wondered if he would try to follow her if she left.

Jaime stared at her for a bit in confusion then contemplation before realization seemed to dawn on his face, “Checklist.”

Brienne relaxed some, hearing the word, “Oh, I know what that is.”

“Sorry,” he sounded genuinely apologetic for distressing her, “Depending on where people sourced their info, terminology can be a bit different. What matters is if partners are on the same track. For PrincessofThorns contract means something different than checklist,” Jaime eyed Brienne, “But I learnt what some people call the checklist as the contract.”

“Non-binding, I’m hoping.”

“Completely binding, in one direction. Noes will always be noes. Yeses can turn into noes or maybes at any time,” Jaime said seriously and Brienne blinked, “The contract or checklist is also completely and constantly amendable the other way too, just as long as both people are at full mental capacity and on equal terms when those kind of amendments happen.”

“Full mental capacity?”

“An example in the books of when not to amend is when Crispian tries to change the terms of the contract in the middle of a scene. Annara was in a vulnerable position, potentially in a subspace, and as a sub in the scene, certainly not on equal footing with him.”

“Oh.”

“I mean the whole problem is that she was never on equal footing with him when they made their initial contract in the first place and then he just…” Jaime wrinkled his nose, “Also, the trust wasn’t there from the get go. He was a shit dom and didn’t do the one thing that doms are supposed to do for their subs - genuinely care for them. That’s really why it was all just so  _ wrong _ ,” Jaime paused and seemed to reassess what he was saying. “Another example would be trying to amend the contract while anyone involved is inebriated.”

Brienne let his dialogue hang for a bit before she sipped her coffee again and made another face, “Well…” she smiled teasingly to ease up the tension that had gathered in her muscles from the mention of a contract, “I’m never trusting you to get me coffee again, that’s for sure.”

“Oh, for Seven’s—“ Jaime grinned, although there was a valiant effort in feigned exasperation.

Brienne’s second alarm screeched.

“Two safe calls,” Jaime noted as Brienne blushed, “Smart.”

Somehow Brienne knew, as she told excited Margaery that she was still at the café, that tonight she was going to come home to a two pronged, full frontal interrogation by her two best friends.

* * *

Brienne’s eyes narrowed as she watched Jaime pick up his third cup of sweet milk with a splash of coffee with his left hand whereas before she recalled he had picked it up with his right. It was a bit of a shot in the dark, but she was pretty sure… “You’re ambidextrous.”

Jaime blinked at her in surprise and then looked down at his hands as though this was news to him. “Um yeah, I guess I am.”

“You’re unsure?”

“I’m not naturally ambidextrous. I was born right handed, but…” Jaime paused and his eyes flashed before he seemed to shake himself out of a state, “An incident over a year or so ago left my right hand weak and sometimes unreliable, so I had to learn to use my left.”

“Is it feeling kind of off now?” Brienne asked quietly.

Jaime flexed his right hand and shrugged, “Nothing I can’t deal with.”

Brienne frowned, recognizing that phrase for what it was, but let Jaime close the conversation.

“So Brienne, are you part of the small population of people who were actually born in King’s Landing?”

Brienne couldn’t help but grin around her, thankfully, black cup of coffee. “No,” she paused for effect, “Tarth, actually.”

Jaime dramatically gasped, “This is why you’re nonsensically biased towards Oathkeeper’s ownership!”

“That and my last name is Tarth,” Brienne grinned, “The sword is in my family history! So hah!”

Jaime dramatically shook his head, “Guess what my last name is and where I’m from.”

“No…”

“Yes!”

“Who’s the biased one now?” Brienne screeched and then quickly shut her mouth and sank in her seat, her cheeks flushed. She had learned several hours ago that outbursts in the Book Wyrm were commonplace and so nothing that had happened between them was unusual in the least, but that didn’t stop her embarrassment from surfacing.

Jaime leaned forward on the table, arms crossed on the surface, and grinned at her, his eyes shining, “Now, now Brienne. No need to get mad that I’m obviously right, what with  _ my _ family records and the lion pommel—“

“You can’t toss a brick without hitting a lion in historical fairy tales.”

Jaime laughed so hard at that that tears came to his eyes and Brienne wiggled in her seat to sit back up again. She checked the time on her phone and her eyes nearly bugged out when she realized that she had been sitting at the Book Wyrm Café talking with Goldenhand - with Jaime - for over four hours. Jaime noticed the time as well and gave her a soft smile, “Free for dinner?” he asked.

Brienne frowned and shook her head, “I’m sorry, I promised my friends I would—“ she stopped before she finished the sentence and let him in on the details of her plans and the disappointment on Jaime’s face morphed into a smug grin.

“Oh,” he smirked, “I see.”

“I’ll tell them you’re a ‘good guy’,” Brienne pouted playfully.

“Please… you think I’m fabulous, or…” Jaime grinned, “Sensu—“

“Stop!”

Jaime chuckled again, the deep vibration sinking below Brienne’s skin. 

Before she lost the nerve, she spoke again, “But um… do you have time…” Brienne tried not to swallow her own tongue, “Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” Jaime repeated as his eyes roamed her face and then seemed to soften, “Yeah, I have time tomorrow.”

“How about Greenfire park on Blackwater Bay at 8 am?”

“8 am on a Sunday? Gods, woman,” Jaime laughed.

“There’s a market!” Brienne protested with a flush that emphasized her freckles.

“8 am at Greenfire park,” Jaime repeated, “I’ll be there.”

As they stood up, wrapped their gold and blue scarves back around their necks and left the café, Jaime holding the door open for Brienne in a gesture that embarrassingly made her stomach flutter, Brienne found that she couldn’t wait for tomorrow. 

* * *

That night, after nearly having to draw a composite sketch of Jaime for Margaery and Sansa’s benefits, Brienne laid in bed furiously debating the ethics of masturbating to memories of Jaime’s model-handsome face. One side of her argued that, technically, she had already been masturbating to thoughts of him since she had known that he had been interested in domming. The other side of her told her he wouldn’t appreciate a hideous giant getting off to the thoughts of him now that he knew what  _ she _ looked like.

Brienne sobered up a little. It was odd how quickly, in the café, he had made her forget that she was unsightly and that they didn’t have the anonymity of a chat platform separating them anymore. She had gotten comfortable talking with him in real life just as quickly as she had gotten comfortable talking with him on Seven Silks and Sands.

They had just been Goldenhand and BlueKnight.

Jaime and Brienne.

Brienne recalled his eyes again, his hair, his  _ smirking _ lips, and gave up the game, turning her rabbit onto maximum. Even if he had thought her hideous, he had been kind to her and had continued to chat with her for four hours.  _ He had asked her out to dinner _ .

There was a forest on the edge of Greenfire park and Brienne’s thoughts wandered to the idea of them making their way there after exploring the market. She imagined the rough feeling of bark against her back, as her groceries dropped to the ground. 

She squirmed on her bed and gripped her rabbit harder. 

She fantasized what the feeling of his glossy lips on her skin would be like, what they would feel like on her own lips as his hands roamed her body and slowly pulled down her shorts. 

Her hands traced her hot skin from the crook of her neck, down her chest, over her taut stomach, and then between her legs.

Margaery and Sansa had  _ insisted _ that she wear shorts the next day. 

Brienne imagined the feeling of him filling her as his hot breath brushed her ear, his low grunts vibrating through her as the warm light of the sun shone down on them between the swaying leaves of the trees. 

She took her lubed up rabbit and ran it up and down her folds leisurely, allowing the vibrations to sink into her nerves, before she slowly eased it into her slick and wet core. She just  _ knew _ that he would feel better inside her than the way the rabbit felt in her right now. 

And  _ oh gods,  _ the abrasions from the bark would be worth the hard thrusts as he hitched one of her knees up against his ribs in the crook of his elbow and whispered into her skin, telling her that she was going to do everything that he wanted her to do when in reality it was only all the things  _ she _ wanted.

Brienne’s back arched and she thrust the rabbit into her as deep as it would go and keened as the vibrations flowed through her, intensifying at her clit and then winding up her spine. 

Fucking her up against a tree would be absolutely no problem for him because there was a reason he was in tall, Tall, TALL, and if she had noted correctly in the café, he was maybe only an inch or so shorter than her.

Brienne’s other hand reached up to palm one of her breasts as her heels dug into her mattress. 

Jaime would nip and suck on the skin of her shoulder, and when he would leave a mark, he would murmur  _ sensuously _ in her ear while reaching between them, right above where their bodies connected, “Now, wench.  _ Come _ for me.”

Pleasure shot through Brienne, red hot and burning, as she bit hard on her bottom lip nearly drawing blood, the action still not able to stop her cries from echoing around the walls of her room. 

Heaving in deep breaths, Brienne turned off her rabbit and set it on her night table then turned her face into her pillow, slamming her fists and feet into her mattress petulantly, wondering why  _ wench _ out of all things had been the pet name her hormone addled brain had come up with.

* * *

“By the fucking Seven,” Brienne heard Jaime swear as his hands dipped into his jean pockets and his whole stance shifted while she waved at him. “Good morning,” Jaime ground out between his teeth, his voice sounding somewhat strained. 

Brienne blinked and tilted her head in puzzlement as she stopped in front of him, “Good morning. Are you okay?”

Jaime gave her a sharp smirk, “More than fine. You look good.”

Brienne looked down at her outfit. She had worn her jean shorts as Margaery had insisted, white sneakers, and a light hoodie over a tank top. “Thanks, you do too.” And  _ he _ truly did. Instead of the dress shirt of the previous day, today he was wearing a very fitted short sleeved shirt that was showing off his biceps and what, Brienne was pretty sure, was the faint outline of well defined abs.  _ Muscles like that on a man with a face like Jaime’s should be illegal _ . Ripping her eyes away from his torso, she brought her eyes up to his face, his lips were  _ still  _ glossy, and smiled, “Market?”

“Sure.”

* * *

A couple hours later, they had both made a couple purchases and were walking along the bay, between the water and the trees, just talking. “My friend and I come down here to run quite often,” Brienne said, “Reminds me a little bit of home.”

“The seas are way rougher out at Casterly Rock and Lannisport. The water is nice and familiar, but it’s not quite the same,” Jaime shrugged. “Do you go to the gym quite often too, then?”

Brienne sighed, “Yeah. Oh, well… I used to.” She thought of Red and all of the guys at her old gym, “But I need to find a new one.”

“Why?”

“No reason in particular,” Brienne lied. Jaime’s eyebrows furrowed, but he didn’t dig any further. She gave a short puff of laughter, “Happen to have any recommendations for good gyms? You look like you work out.”

A smirk grew on Jaime’s lips, “I do, don’t I?” Brienne nearly tripped over her own two feet as her face heated up. She slapped her palms over her cheeks and screeched quietly as Jaime laughed. “I do know a couple places. I’ll message them to you.”

Brienne simply made a weak sound of affirmation, turning the subject back to where she would be less likely to make a fool of herself, “So, are you a Lannister of Lannisport or of Casterly Rock?” she asked as she lowered her hands.

“Casterly Rock,” Jaime replied. Brienne pressed her lips together and Jaime snorted in amusement, “I’m not rich.” Jaime grinned, “If you’re wondering. But certainly have enough to get any toys or other  _ materials _ you’d like.”

Brienne burbled and spat out the first thing that came to her mind, “I already have a pretty good rabbit.”

The smirk melted off of Jaime’s face as he stared at her with a look that she couldn’t quite decipher. His eyes looked less like emeralds and suddenly a lot more like wildfire. “Well… depending on what you’re interested in, uh. If we go forward with this… we’ll need more than just a rabbit.”

“Oh,” Brienne squeaked.

“Go ahead,” Jaime murmured as his eyes flickered out to the ocean, his hand brushing through his golden locks of hair, “I’ll catch up with you in a second.”

Brienne’s face twisted, “Ugg, men and their ability to just go in the trees.”

Jaime coughed in laughter, his eyes now twinkling, “Yeah. That’s what it is. I just need to take a piss.” Brienne huffed and turned around on the tips of her toes. As she walked away she heard a deeply hissed, “Gods,” from behind her.

He caught up with her ten seconds later.

* * *

They had ended up spending enough time together to grab lunch. “So,” Jaime grinned as he rested his chin in the palm of his hand and watched her eat, “How do you feel about meeting Arthur Dayne next weekend?”

Brienne’s fork dropped and clattered loudly on her plate, “What?”

“You heard me.”

“ _ Next week _ ? I have the chance to meet Arthur Dayne  _ next week _ ?”

“Yeah, he said he had some free time.”

Brienne gaped, “What do you want in return? My first born child? My soul?”

Jaime chuckled, “I’m not a witch, devil, or demon, Brienne. Nothing. Going with someone who would love the museum and talking to Arthur Dayne as much as I do is good enough.”

“Seriously, let me buy the tickets or  _ something _ .”

Jaime’s eyebrow quirked, “The museum’s free, Brienne.” Right. She knew that. “But alright. I have an idea.”

“What?”

“How about you read up on some anatomy?”

Brienne’s brain tried really hard to make the connection. “Huh?”

“It’s one of the things that isn’t covered very extensively on Seven Silks and Sands, but I think it’s important to know details if you want to venture into this world. So how about in return you learn some human anatomy.”

“How, in any way, does that repay you for the opportunity to meet Arthur Dayne?”

Jaime shrugged, his eyes shifting, “Either way, if you want to meet him next weekend we’ll meet him. It was just an idea. I’ll bring some rope and show you some rope bondage things too, since you expressed interest.”

“At the  _ museum _ ?”

Jaime laughed, “They have some conference rooms and small classrooms the public can book. We’ll be alone, but in a public building.”

“Do you work there or something?”

Jaime just grinned, “So, how about it?”

Brienne thought about the rope bondage page and the sailing knots that she hadn’t tied in years. And meeting  _ Arthur Dayne _ . “Okay.”

“Cool. Saturday at 10 am, in the lobby of the Red Keep museum. A more normal time for the humans between us.” 

Brienne stuck her tongue out at him as Jaime feigned a yawn with a large grin on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta conversation of the chapter:  
> Before she lost the nerve, she spoke again, “But um… do you have time…” Brienne tried not to swallow her own tongue, “Tomorrow?”  
> lewispanda ---> Eager, aren't we?  
> EryiScrye ---> I'd be eager xD


	4. The Red Keep Museum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to at lewispanda for betaing!!!

Brienne should have suspected that there was more going on behind the Baratheon account than she had been privy to. She had met Robert. He blatantly didn’t care a wit about the Baratheon Estates, much less interior design. There was no way he would have cared enough to reject a portfolio, much less actually take a look at it. 

Renly frowned as they sat together for their second meeting, a stack of rejected portfolios that needed to be cleared by his side and the mountain that Podrick had sorted out dwindling. 

“You know what, Brienne?” Renly muttered as he flipped through the portfolio his frown deepening, “I think I’m going to try and authorize an increase in budget. I just don’t think I’m going to find what I’m looking for with these constraints.”

Brienne smiled serenely, “Is that so?” In her two meetings with Renly, they hadn't even gotten to discussing anything other than interior design.

Renly looked up and smiled at her. Before this weekend, she had thought him to be the most handsome man to walk the streets of King’s Landing. Now he was just the second most handsome. “Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to have samples of portfolios within the different price brackets already prepared. Take as long as you need.”

Brienne laughed, “Well, actually…” Brienne picked up her office phone and dialed for her assistant, “Podrick, can you please come in?”

It only took three seconds for her office door to swing open as Podrick grinned happily at her, “Miss Tarth. You called!”

Renly blinked and then chortled, “He’s fast.”

“He’s sweet,” Brienne replied. “What budget brackets were you thinking?”

“Well…” Renly murmured as he tapped his chin. “This is my first time working with this kind of an account, I’m not sure…”

“I can grab all of the portfolios for your perusal, Mr. Baratheon!” Podrick chimed in.

Renly looked at her in surprise, “All of the portfolios?” he exclaimed. 

Brienne shrugged with an amused smile on her face. “Just for interior design companies based in King’s Landing,” Brienne explained, only for Renly to look even more startled.

“Well…that would be amazing, Podrick. Thank you.”

“I’ll be right back. Miss Tarth, Mr. Baratheon.”

“You truly have a unique business model, Miss Tarth,” Renly smiled.

Brienne laughed, “Truly.”

* * *

In exhibition four, the hall that contained relocated sections of castles in Westeros, there were many hidden nooks and crannies due to the inherent maze-like qualities of the old keeps, such as Storm’s End, Winterfell, and Eastwatch. For a half hour of every hour that the Red Keep museum was open, the exhibition hall was lit with only fake torches in order to imitate the atmosphere of the different castles, replicating the ambiance of a time long ago. The lighting casted large shadows, bathing large portions of the exhibit in grainy darkness. 

Years ago, when she had gone to visit the museum with Sansa and they had focused their perusal of the exhibit on her friend’s ancestral home of Winterfell, the two girls had managed to find one nook, that as far as Brienne knew, received almost no traffic.

This was where she was now. 

Brienne recalled the tenor of Jaime’s voice at the café as he had passed her that first time. “ _Wench,_ ” his voice was low and rumbling as it growled into her ear, his hot breath heating up her skin. An _almost_ perfect match, but good enough.

“Jaime,” Brienne whimpered as a hand brushed up her side.

“You must be quiet, wench. We don’t want to be found. Can you do that?” she saw his eyes flashing in the dark, while bursts of colour clouded her periphery, and she nodded her head. “I need to hear you say it, Brienne.” He was just so… beautiful, so handsome. Even in the darkness his gold hair shone and his lips glimmered.

“I can be quiet,” Brienne murmured. The moment the words were out of her mouth his lips latched onto the skin below her ear, his teeth nipping at the sensitive flesh. 

Brienne gasped and her hands curled as she arched. “You’re already disobeying my instructions, Brienne. Do you know how loud you just were?” Jaime purred, “Do you want someone to find us?”

Brienne grunted as she spread her legs and wished that she could feel a heavy body between her thighs. Fingers dipped below the waistband of her pants and under the cotton of her panties, sliding through her slick arousal. 

She thought he would be pleased by how wet she was, “Have you been anticipating this Brienne? Is this why you led me here?” His voice now had a touch of laughter, like the way they had spoken while walking by Blackwater Bay.

The tips of her fingers hovered over her clit and she wiggled. Brienne opened her eyes to see the blurry ceiling of her bedroom. “Yes,” she murmured aloud.

Her fingers pressed, and she bit down on her bottom lip to hold back a moan. She imagined Jaime pressed up against her back instead of her mattress, her body now turned around to face away from his, his sultry voice teasing, “Then let’s keep you wanting, wench.”

Brienne groaned as she circled and pressed herself into the heel of her hand, “Jaime, please.”

“Please what, Brienne?”

“Please, fuck me!”

He nipped her neck again, “You’re still not being quiet Brienne,” he growled, “But since you’re being so polite…” Oh _gods_ , what a time for their chat convo to spring into her mind.

Brienne rolled over and grabbed her already prepared rabbit and while still stimulating herself she thrust the toy deep into her core, barely holding in a pleased scream as it filled her.

After the starbursts and streaks of white faded and Brienne was curled safely and warmly beneath her covers, she resolved that Jaime and her would just have to skip exhibition four on Saturday.

* * *

Brienne was sprawled on her couch grinning at her phone as she typed away in the SSaS app. 

_Goldenhand: Have you watched Arthur’s lecture on the role of honour and oaths?_

_BlueKnight: Is the sky blue?_

_Goldenhand: Right now it’s kind of red-ish_

_BlueKnight: Don’t be facetious_

_Goldenhand: Then what would I be?_

_BlueKnight: A child with warm coffee flavoured milk_

_Goldenhand: Let it go, Brienne_

_BlueKnight: Never_

_BlueKnight: Have you seen his interview at the museum where a bird got into the building and caused mayhem?_

_Goldenhand: Have you looked closely at the background of that clip?_

Brienne blinked then immediately switched to her VarysView app and found the fated news clip. The bird had been reverent enough not to attack Arthur or anything of import in the museum, but had made for the camera man’s head, or at least that was what Brienne guessed considering what happened to the shot. Brienne squinted at the clip and then gaped when she saw a flash of gold. Slowing down the clip to 0.25x the speed, she rewound the clip and right there, for only a couple frames, was Jaime running in to save the day.

_BlueKnight: You witnessed that event first hand?_

_Goldenhand: I even fought the bird_

_BlueKnight: Who won?_

_Goldenhand: Commend me for fighting the bird_

_BlueKnight: The bird won, didn’t it?_

_Goldenhand: Commend me for trying_

_BlueKnight: Clap clap_

_Goldenhand: Thank you, thank you_

_Goldenhand: I was valiant_

_BlueKnight: In your loss_

_Goldenhand: The damn bird went away after, didn’t it?_

_BlueKnight: Well, I wouldn’t know_

_Goldenhand: It’s not still in the museum_

_Goldenhand: So I won_

_BlueKnight: I’ll keep an eye out for it on Saturday_

_Goldenhand: Ha, ha_

At that very moment, Brienne’s phone rang and she unceremoniously dropped it on her nose. “Ouch!” Brienne whined as she peeled it off her face. Registering the contents of her screen, she saw the name Galladon Duncan Tarth flashing over a zoomed in picture of her brother’s nose requesting a video call. Brienne grinned as she hit the green button, “Galpal!”

The picture of her brother’s nose disappeared to reveal her brother’s grinning face, “Cheesy! How are you doing?”

Brienne smiled and flipped onto her stomach, “I’m doing good.”

“Your date with Red went well, then?” Galladon crowed, wiggling his eyebrows. Brienne could see her face fall apart on camera and the expression on her brother’s face turn into sheer panic. “Oh no. Oh, I’m so sorry, Cheesy.”

Brienne grimaced and sat up, running her fingers through her hair and out of her face, “It’s okay, you didn’t know.”

Galladon asked seriously, “Do you want me to come over there and beat him up for you?”

“Already done,” Brienne replied with a weak smile. 

“Do you want me to beat him up again?” Galladon asked a little bit less seriously.

“I’d honestly just rather never have to see his face again.”

“Didn’t you two meet at the gym? How are you ever going to avoid seeing him?”

“I’m switching gyms.” Which reminded her, she needed to look at that list that Jaime had sent her. 

“Don’t let a loser who didn’t know how precious a person he had within his reach displace you from your routine, Brie.”

Brienne bit her bottom lip, “It’s more complicated than that. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Brie…”

“Galladon, no.”

Galladon frowned at her, but let it go.

“How are you doing?”

“Ugg!” Galladon groaned and Brienne watched as her brother tumbled onto an all too familiar couch, “Dad’s business is a mess. Taking over from him is going to take my entire life, I’m sure.”

“Dad insists it’s organized,” Brienne snorted.

“Yeah… everything is organized, in a system only he seems to understand. Even his secretary just gives me the side eye and shrugs some days. You know how we’ve always said that dad must have a lucky star tucked somewhere to have the two of us—”

“You consider yourself a gift from the universe, yes.”

“Shut up. And then to have Alys and Ari with the most grounded one night stand—”

“Honestly? I still believe that Alys and Ari are yours and dad’s just covering up for you.”

“Shush! He just reaches into his filing drawer and tada, the exact file he needs is magicked into his hand by this star, because there’s no way that there’s rhyme or reason to that nonsense. It would explain the family crest. Maybe he’ll pass it down to me someday.”

“He works hard.”

“You haven’t seen the state of his cabinets, Cheesy. It would give you conniptions. My life time!” 

That was when Brienne heard a door slam in the background and two high pitched voices absolutely shriek, “GALLY!!!”

Galladon leaned in so close to his phone Brienne could see up his nose and whispered conspiratorially, “See. The lucky star he has locked up somewhere won’t even let me talk smack about him.”

“Are you complaining about my filing system to Brienne? Is the whole island of Tarth not good enough for you, son?”

“The whole island?” Brienne cackled.

“He’s exaggerating,” Galladon whined.

Her father stole her brother’s phone right out of his hands, and suddenly Selwyn’s grey whiskers were in the shot, “I’m not. Brienne, hello there, sweetie. How are you?”

“I’m doing good.”

“How was your dat— Ouch! Galladon! What was that for? What? Wait what? Oh…” Brienne flushed as the image on the phone swung wildly around the living room of her childhood home, “...You look very nice today sweetie.”

Brienne couldn’t help the feeling of embarrassment that flooded her, “Thanks dad.”

“Is that Brin?”

“It’s Brinine!”

“I want to talk to Brin! Papa!!!!”

“Before a riot starts, I’ll pass you back to your siblings, but we’ll catch up later?”

“Yes dad,” Brienne smiled as the phone was passed back to Galladon who now had twin girls squished up against his cheeks, vying for screen space. She really did wonder if they weren’t actually Galladon’s children. They looked so much like him. “Flip your phone horizontally, you old man,” Brienne grinned. Galladon stuck his tongue out at her, but did as bid. “Hi Alys, hi Ari.”

“Hi Brin,” Alysanne squealed, “You look very pretty today. Daddy took us out to the beach and we went and collected seashells because daddy said the water was too cold to go swimming.”

“Alys stuck her foot into the water anyway,” Arianne tattled.

“Ari!”

“Her shoe and sock got all wet and the whole way home it made weird noises, Brinine.”

Alysanne’s eyes began to water, “Why did you tell her?” she demanded.

“It’s okay, Alysanne,” Brienne soothed, “When I was six like you I also never listened to dad.” Galladon made bug eyes at her. “Which is very wrong!” Galladon’s eyes bugged even more. “Um, no that’s… it’s okay that you did, but next time listen to dad, okay?”

Alysanne pouted, looking ridiculously adorable and nodded, “Okay, Brin.”

Galladon rolled her eyes, “She listens to you and you’re a landmass away.”

Brienne stuck her tongue out at her brother, “Do you want to show me your seashells girls?”

“YES!” They both screamed into Galladon’s ear, if his expression had anything to say about it, and hurried off screen.

“How are they so cute? Were we this cute when we were young?” Galladon asked.

“No, you were a terror.”

“Bias, bias I say!”

“You were both terrors!” she heard her dad shout from somewhere.

* * *

Brienne fidgeted nervously back and forth on her feet as she stared at the entrance of the Red Keep museum. It had been nearly a week since she had last seen Jaime. Although they had continued to chat on Seven Silks and Sands everyday, a part of her still wondered if he had realized over the course of the week that he was much too good looking for her. 

Taking in a couple deep breaths, Brienne raced up the front steps, pushed open the front doors and breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw that Jaime was already waiting inside, a black bag slung over one shoulder. When he looked up and met her eye, she wondered at how she had been able to downplay how _beautiful_ he was in her fantasies over the past week. She had not been doing him justice. “Brienne,” he said, and her name came off of his tongue like a siren’s call that knocked the breath out of her lungs and made her heart beat faster. 

“Jaime,” she replied as she came to stand in front of him, “Hi.”

His smile dazzled her, “Hi.” His eyes roamed over her face slowly before he met her eyes, “Arthur will be free at noon, I thought we could check out the museum together first?”

“Yeah, that would be awesome.”

* * *

Since Brienne had moved to King’s Landing for university, she had gone to the Red Keep museum twice a year. However, this was the first time that she had gone with someone who loved history nearly as much as she did. Even if he constantly insisted that he loved it more. 

Most of the time, if Brienne went to the museum with someone else - like that one time she had gone with Hyle - they would be in and out within two hours, her companion expressing boredom or rushing through the exhibits. Jaime and her had only gotten halfway through the second exhibition by the time noon hit. 

“Shit,” Jaime muttered as he looked at his watch, “Arthur was going to meet us for lunch. We’ll have to return here on another day.”

Brienne blinked at him and couldn’t help the smile pulling on her lips at his casual statement of a future of friendship. “That’s alright.”

Jaime grinned at her before they looked back at the replica they had both been staring at behind the glass, “Glad you also don’t think this doesn’t do the Just Maid justice, though.”

Brienne pursed her lip, “Galladon of Morne’s sword wasn’t special because it was shiny and golden and covered in baubles. It was special because it was given to him by the Maiden.”

“Because she loved him,” Jaime sighed.

“And he obviously loved her.”

They took another moment staring at the interpretation of the famous fabled blade before they turned towards the museum cafeteria where Arthur Dayne was waiting for them.

The museum was fairly busy, as it was a Saturday, but Brienne was able to pick Arthur Dayne out of the crowd in an instant. She had watched most of the videos of him on VarysView and had seen him speak so many times on Westeros' history at the university. Jaime chuckled beside her and when Brienne looked over at him, he was simply gazing at her face. “Ready to meet a local legend, Brienne?”

Brienne wheezed a little bit and Jaime held in his laugh this time, although he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his whole face and which made his eyes light up. 

When they got to the table, Arthur looked up from the documents he was reading, grinned at Jaime and stood up. Taking off his reading glasses, he tucked them into his breast pocket and reached out to shake both of their hands. “Long time no see, Jaime Lannister!”

“It’s been a while, Arthur,” Jaime replied.

“And is this your _friend_ you told me about,” Arthur said as he turned to Brienne and looked her up and down, “Arthur Dayne, pleasure to make your acquaintance…”

“Brienne Tarth.”

“Ah! Another old Westerosi surname,” Arthur remarked happily, the crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes showing prominently, “We were hoping to put on a small exhibition on the island of Tarth sometime next year, maybe you would like to see what we have later, Miss Tarth?”

Brienne gaped a little, before she nodded her head and murmured shyly, “Brienne is fine.”

“Brienne, then,” Arthur smiled. “Come sit. A benefit of being the curator of the museum is having table service.”

Jaime set down his black bag and suddenly Brienne realized what was in it. She could feel the blush crawl up her chest and neck as she took a seat beside Jaime. 

“So, how did you two meet?”

“Well…” Jaime grinned as he glanced at Brienne. The feeling of mortification quickly struck her as she tried her hardest to stomp on Jaime’s foot. He wouldn’t. She knew he wouldn’t. Would he? She remembered typing that maybe the embarrassment would be worth the chance to meet Arthur Dayne, but now she was steadfastly reconsidering it. “We met on a forum,” Jaime continued, his feet safety tucked under his chair, his eyes still trained on her. Brienne considered the pros and cons of making a scene as she glared daggers at him. “A historical fairy tales forum.”

Brienne breathed out a sigh of relief and murmured weakly, “Sorry. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was. I think I need some water. I’ll be right back.” Brienne stood up as her heart slowed down.

“I'll get some, too,” Jaime said, before following her.

Arthur’s lips quirked and his eyes sparkled, “Go on, go on.”

As they stood side by side as the cooler, Brienne shot Jaime the most scathing glare that she could muster. He held it together for about five seconds before he burst out into laughter. “I hate you!” Brienne hissed.

“But Brienne, you just look so fucking adorable whenever I so much as come close to mentioning the forum in public,” Jaime grinned as his eyes twinkled earnestly. “I was half expecting you to shove your hands in my face again.”

All the rage rushed out of Brienne in an instant as she stared at him blankly. Adorable? Brienne was pretty sure she had never been called adorable in her life. She wasn’t adorable. _Sansa_ was adorable. Podrick was adorable. Puppies and kittens were adorable. Six foot four, hideous Brienne was _not_ adorable. Brienne looked back at the water selection, still not being able to help the flush on the apples of her cheeks, and muttered a weak, “Shut up.”

Jaime just continued laughing under his breath until Brienne threw a water bottle at his shoulder. 

* * *

“So, was he everything you thought he would be?” Jaime asked as he shut the door to the private windowless conference room he had booked for them at the museum. 

“Quiet! I’m still trying to absorb the fact that he asked me. Me! To be the first one to see the Tarth exhibit before it was open to the public,” Brienne sighed dreamily. 

Jaime gave her a sharp smirk, “I know, right? Arthur’s the definition of the perfect man. Smart, ethical, kind, but takes no shit from anyone. Ages like fine wine.” Brienne quirked a brow at Jaime and he shrugged. “Tell me I’m wrong.” 

“You’re not wrong,” Brienne scoffed as she watched Jaime place his bag on the table and unbuckle the latches, unfurling the black bag. “Don’t you feel embarrassed carrying around a bag of bondage rope with you?” Brienne flushed as she stared at the bundles of hemp rope and the safety shears inside.

Jaime simply shrugged again as he took a seat and gestured to the seat beside him. Brienne pulled out the chair next to him and sat down. “I realized long ago that just because you know what’s in the bag doesn’t mean that anyone else knows what’s in the bag.”

“Hm.” The problem was that _she_ had known what was in the bag.

“Alright, let’s start with the basics,” Jaime said as he passed her a bundle of rope and unfurled his own. “This rope is 6 mm, which is the most common diameter used for rope bondage. Other common diameters are 4 mm, used often for decorative and under clothes purposes and 8 mm which are better for suspension. You’ve probably made the basic knots used in bondage before in one context or another, but it’s good to review the ones that are best used in rope bondage.”

“Right,” Brienne murmured, unraveling her bundle. As she felt the texture beneath her fingers, she realized that all of the rope was brand new. 

“So first, lark’s head,” Jaime stated seriously.

While Brienne watched Jaime demonstrate knots to her and replicated them on her own length, she was struck by how sterile the lesson was. He was trying his best not to sexualize _rope bondage_. “What if… what if it turns out, if we um… do this, that I’m not interested in rope bondage?” Brienne eventually asked.

Jaime looked up at her from a surgeon’s knot, “Then you aren’t interested.”

“You won’t consider this a waste of time?”

“As long as you don’t.”

Brienne blinked, “Okay.”

Jaime’s eyebrow quirked, “Okay. Now if you’re comfortable I can show you how rope bondage is supposed to feel by putting a wrist cuff on you. But only if you’re comfortable.”

Before Brienne could even voice her thoughts, her hand was already held out to him. “I’m comfortable,” she replied. 

Jaime’s lips, glossy still, pulled up as he took her hand, and Brienne was struck with the realization that other than when she had jammed her palms into his face the first time they had met, this was the first time he had even touched her.

His palms were rough with callouses, but they were pleasantly warm.

Jaime slowly and gently wound his length of rope around her wrist, “See how I’m keeping the strands parallel,” he said. Brienne nodded an affirmative as Jaime double and then tripled his winding, “And the more times you go around, the less pressure the rope exerts on the binding. The pressure should be even across all the strands when done right.” He finished off the cuff and inserted two fingers between the rope and her skin, “And with a few exceptions, there should always be at least this much give on the rope—“

“So that the circulation isn’t cut off.”

Jaime smiled at her, “Yeah, and so the shears can get under. The exceptions are only exceptions because the nature of the knots in those cases will provide this leeway as they tighten.”

Brienne nodded as she stared into his eyes. “How do you know so much about rope bondage if you’re new to domming?” Brienne asked with realization.

Jaime met her gaze head on, “I might be new to domming, but I’m a veteran of the community.”

“What?”

Jaime sighed gently and brushed his hand through his hair in obvious agitation.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Brienne backtracked with a frown.

“I can’t… I…” Jaime grunted, “I’m not ready to tell you everything, but I used to be a sub.”

“Oh!” Brienne exclaimed, suddenly conjuring more images of Jaime than she had even dared to contemplate before. “Do subs usually know this much about knot tying?”

“Well, I’m teaching you now, aren’t I?” Jaime said. And then his eyes gained a sort of far away look, “Plus… although not everyone quite shares this sentiment in the community,” Jaime’s face almost seemed to collapse under the weight of the world, “I think it’s important that the sub knows everything the dom is doing… just in case.” 

Brienne understood that the "just in case" alluded to the bigger story that Jaime wasn’t yet ready to tell, and so maybe did the three pairs of safety shears in his bag, and didn’t ask any further. It was odd, but she trusted him. She trusted Jaime in a way that was different than the way she had thought she had trusted Red and the boys, had trusted Hyle. She felt that, although he had his secrets, Jaime would tell her everything about him that could pose harm to her. And as long as he did that, he was more than allowed to keep some things to himself.

“On that note, do you want to try this wrist cuff on me?” Jaime asked as he undid the cuff on her wrist deftly. 

Brienne blinked and nodded her head as the tension in the room dissolved. She followed Jaime’s instructions and slowly and carefully made the same cuff around his left wrist that he had made around hers, following his instructions without a fault. When she was done and had slid her two fingers out from between the cuff and his wrist, Brienne held his open palm with both her hands and traced lines over the rope on his wrist and over his hand. “Um…” she started and felt herself flush. She found she couldn't meet his eyes, “There are three nerves that travel down the wrist and into the hand.”

She quickly glanced up and saw Jaime’s eyes widen before looking down again.

“The ulnar nerve,” she traced the side of his wrist and up his left hand with the fingers of her own left hand, swirling the tips around his pinky and ring finger. “The median nerve,” she ran both of her thumbs gently up the inside of his wrist and over his palm, spreading her touch between his thumb, ring finger, and middle finger. “And the radial nerve,” she turned his hand around, held his hand with her right, and traced the outside of his wrist up the back of his hand with the palm of her left.

“You actually learned some anatomy.” He sounded absolutely breathless.

“You said it was important to you, so I tried my best,” Brienne blushed.

Jaime regarded her seriously and then reached out with his right hand to tilt up her chin to look her in the eye. “So Brienne…" His voice was low and rumbling as he lowered his right hand and flipped his left hand so that it could curl around hers, "About us." The word "us" made all the air expel from her lungs. "I’d like to… I _would_ like to start something between us, if you want to start something… between us.”

Brienne held her breath. Her eyes flickered over his face, and then she nodded, “I would like to start something between _us_ , too.”

The smile that bloomed on Jaime’s face this time grew slowly, but Brienne watched in fascination as it not only changed the whole language of his face, but of his body, too. “Then, Brienne, how about we start by exchanging phone numbers.”

“Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear we will get to the real smut eventually! Jaime and Brienne chatting just added two chapters to the original chapter outline because well... turns out when you get them together 10k words of chemistry and banter just kinda flows. Indeedly-do, I am writing that chapter now!
> 
> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:  
> “But Brienne, you just look so fuck ~~ing ador~~ able whenever I so much as come close to mentioning the forum in public,” Jaime grinned as his eyes twinkled earnestly.


	5. My Dom Partner Person

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

_My Dom Partner Person: I sent you a typical contract/checklist on our SSaS chat. You can spend the next week looking over it and SpiderSearching anything you don’t understand. You can also ask me or comb through the forum if the top results on Spider refer you to Fifty Fingers or something._

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Was this why you were grinning like an idiot when you were inputting your phone number?_

_My Dom Partner Person: I have no idea what you mean_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: And I thought I got away with that_

_My Dom Partner Person: One gets away with nothing when it comes to chat conversations, Miss Tarth_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Miss Tarth?_

_My Dom Partner Person: Let me take a gander from how you listed yourself in my phone_

_My Dom Partner Person: Every person in your phone, including yourself and except for me, is listed under their first, middle, and last name_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: …_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: No comment_

_My Dom Partner Person: Hah! And don’t you dare change my contact name_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: What? What did you say? I can’t hear you_

_The Idiot: You don’t hear texts!_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Yours go whomp whomp_

_The Idiot: Classy_

* * *

When Brienne walked into the office the next morning, she couldn’t help but smile at Podrick’s desk. “A new addition to the team?” she asked.

Podrick nodded and set down his mug of black tea with a grin, “BB-8 helps me concentrate, Miss Tarth.”

Brienne continued to smile as her eyes roamed the small army of figurines on his desk. BB-8 helped him concentrate, the ewok she had given him helped him stay organized, and Captain Phasma kept him on his toes. “Can you pull up all the info we have on the Baratheon account, Podrick? I need to review the project before my meeting with Renly tomorrow.”

“Will do, Miss Tarth,” Podrick grinned, “And your coffee is in your office waiting for you, brewed just two minutes ago.”

“You’re a lifesaver.” 

Pod reached below his desk and pulled out another figurine, “K-2SO helps me save lives.”

Brienne couldn’t help the burst of laughter that came out of her.

* * *

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Should I fill this thing out before Saturday?_

_The Idiot: If you want, but I think it’ll be more fun to fill it out together_

_The Idiot: You could make some notes on it_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Should I fear your definition of fun?_

_The Idiot: Do you fear fun?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I am fun_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I am the funnest of fun_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Very fun_

_The Idiot: Convincing_

_The Idiot: Then let’s fill it out together_

* * *

Another meeting with Renly, another set of rejected portfolios. “Maybe we should finalize our arrangements with your other contractors first and deal with interior design later. Although, it would be nice to have them on the board before we finalize the building plans, most interior designers are okay with coming in after the building has begun,” Brienne suggested, “That way I have more time and can start looking for companies outside of King’s Landing for you.”

Renly sighed as he tossed another portfolio on the rejected stack, “I think you may be right. My apologies.”

“Please, don’t apologize,” Brienne said with a smile, “This is your project and I want to help you materialize it exactly as you imagined.”

“Your patience is unrivaled.”

“So, Robert told me he had a list of contractors that he would get into contact with and then refer them to me if the negotiations went well. I haven’t heard back from any of them yet, but this often happens when I’m not the one negotiating with the contractors myself. Now, with the handover between you and Robert, I can see how that information can get further lost. I’ll be able to remove you as the middleman, if you send me the files personally.”

Renly blushed. “About that… I went over Robert’s list and…”

Brienne’s eyes widened, “No…” she gasped and then flushed, covering her mouth with one of her hands, “I’m so sorry, Renly. That was unprofessional of me.”

“I have made a little bit of a mess of this account, haven’t I?” he said with a bit of a grimace, shame clear in his eyes.

“Did you approve of anyone on that list?”

Renly gave her a small smile, “I approved the plot of land?”

Brienne tried really hard not to gape. 

Renly leaned in towards her and he gestured in reassurance, “I promise to uphold our contract with Evenstar Architects until the project is finished. With the increase in budget I will even pay your company more for the trouble.”

Brienne regarded Renly for a moment before she leaned on her desk and let out a long, slow sigh. “I hope it isn’t imperious of me to suggest this Renly, but how about - in our next meeting - we start negotiations over as though I was just handed this account. That way we leave no stone unturned. I don’t want to have anything regarding the Baratheon Estates getting lost in the muck.”

Renly let out a breath of relief, “I think that would be the best course of action Brienne. Once again, thank you.”

“Would you like me to provide a list of contractor companies I have worked well with in the past for you to look at?”

“That would be wonderful.”

Brienne nodded, reached for her phone and called her assistant. “Podrick, would you be able to get me a list of the contractors we worked with for the Tyrell Solarium, the Stark residence, and the Clegane Bowl?”

“Yes, Miss Tarth, I shall have that ready for you in short order.”

“Thank you Podrick.” Brienne hung up the phone and nodded at Renly, “I’ll have a couple suggestions for you before you leave today. They may not all be perfectly suitable, considering the nature of their previous projects, but some of those companies may inspire you.”

Renly gave her a big smile, “I’m sure they will.”

An hour later, after Renly had departed, Brienne slumped at her desk with a groan. She hadn’t expected to be right at the very beginning, _again_ , with the Baratheon Estates, but Renly had signed a new contract with Evenstar Architects with zero qualms and a significant increase in payment. 

It was only as she was eating lunch and her brain was returning back to maximum function that a thought came to Brienne’s mind, making her eyebrows furrow. Renly had been so indecisive and critical of so many other companies, turning the entire project on its head and even going so far as to take over the account from his brother. However, he had been so sure about keeping Evenstar Architects involved. Brienne wondered why. 

_Whomp whomp._

Brienne looked at her phone and couldn’t help the smile that spread on her face. She sat back, the tension in her muscles from her meeting with Renly fading.

_The Idiot: Btw, did you ever find a new gym?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I did_

_The Idiot: One of my suggestions?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Yes_

_The Idiot: Which gym?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Kingsguard Fitness?_

_The Idiot: :D_

_The Idiot: That’s my gym_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Well, time to switch gyms again_

_The Idiot: Cruel_

_The Idiot: Tell me you got the White Membership_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Rainbow_

_The Idiot: Tsk, waste of money Miss Tarth_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I like the yoga classes_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Would also like to work Barre and Pilates into my schedule eventually_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: No snarky come back?_

_The Idiot: Maybe I’ll switch to Rainbow too_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Why?_

* * *

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Do you have an idea where to meet this time?_

_The Idiot: I thought you could decide this time_

_The Idiot: Choose a place where you feel safe_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I can get us a room at the Tyrell Solarium_

_The Idiot: My Gods_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: What?_

_The Idiot: You just said that as though that’s an easy thing to do_

_The Idiot: To get any space at the Tyrell Solarium you need to book months in advance_

_The Idiot: I think you even have to book time to use the washroom there_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I have connections_

_The Idiot: Are you secretly like… Olenna Tyrell’s granddaughter somehow?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: No_

_The Idiot: Thank god_

_The Idiot: Because if you were related to that she-bat…_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Her granddaughter is one of my best friends though and I do call Olenna Nana_

_The Idiot: You have just become infinitely more dangerous_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Scared?_

_The Idiot: And oddly turned on_

Brienne did not have a reply to that, but she did feel like her face was on fire. Though, she did wonder whether he knew that Olenna was on Seven Silks and Sands… and that he actually had interacted with her granddaughter at one point. He definitely didn’t seem to know.

_The Idiot: Please don’t tell her I called her a she-bat_

_The Idiot: Actually, please don’t tell her I exist_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Only if you’re good_

_The Idiot: Who’s the dom now?_

She was definitely on fire.

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Can I book a room at the solarium?_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Which????? When????? How long????? WHAT FORRRR?????_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: The smallest room available, any time on Saturday, hours if possible_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: I’ll book you your favourite room!!!!!!! <3 <3 _

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: How does 5pm ‘til you wanna leave sound?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: That sounds like prime time_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Seriously, just give me a time that’s free_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Only prime time for you Brienne ;*_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: What are you using it for????_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Nothing_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: OOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

* * *

Maybe Brienne should have expected this. She had managed to warn off Margaery with the promise of later details… But she wasn’t the only Tyrell involved in her sex life.

“Hello dear,” Olenna smiled as she looked up at Brienne with shrewd, bright eyes. 

“Hi Nana,” Brienne replied with a nervous smile, all of the images of firm butts Olenna had sent her scrolling through her mind. “I didn’t know you would be here today.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, but one must keep my son on his toes,” Olenna replied easily and reached out with both of her hands to take one of Brienne’s and hold it. Olenna’s hands always felt so delicate and cold, but Brienne knew how much power the older woman wielded beneath the demure nature of her skin. “Margaery told me you were bringing a friend today.”

“He’s scared of you and will probably stay in his hiding spot behind the pillar over there until you’re gone.”

Olenna looked around Brienne and squinted, “A very good looking specimen you have there, dear. Congratulations on so quickly reeling one in. I do hope he has… oh what do they call it…” Olenna’s eyes gleamed in mischief, “Oh yes! A bubble butt.”

“Nana!”

Olenna laughed merrily at Brienne’s red cheeks. Jaime did have a very nice butt, but Brienne was _not_ going to confess to Olenna that she had looked. “Well, at least I can commend him for being smart to avoid me, if craven.” 

“Oh, craven. Maybe if I had called him that, he would be shaking hands with you right now.”

“Then he would be a fool, and I would charm him away from you. Neither of us want that,” Olenna chuckled and patted the back of Brienne’s hand, “I shall depart, then. Dinner will be served to you at seven sharp, so tuck those documents away unless you want one of Margaery’s cousins seeing what you’re up to. And _do_ have fun, dear. The checklist can be such an… exciting discussion.”

Brienne made a noise in the back of her throat that made Olenna’s eyes twinkle in delight, then the younger woman sighed and said, “Thank you Nana.”

Olenna nodded, let go of Brienne’s hand and continued on her way through the solarium, scrutinizing Jaime’s bottom blithely as she passed by the column he was hiding behind. Jaime jogged to Brienne’s side once he thought the coast was clear, looking more frazzled than she had ever seen him look before. “How does the she-bat not scare you?” 

How did a man who look so frightened still look so handsome? Brienne shook her head at Jaime’s antics and turned to walk towards her favourite room, “I’m not foolish enough to not be scared of her. Only idiots stop fearing Olenna Tyrell.”

Jaime laughed as he strolled by her side. Brienne could feel the warmth coming off of his arm even through all the layers they were both wearing. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and saw his gaze roam around the dome lobby filled with waterfalls, hanging gardens and golden arches. “You would think that all of these features together would look tacky,” Jaime commented, “But it’s all beautifully done. Whoever the Tyrell’s hired as their architect did an amazing job bringing everything together.”

Brienne blushed, a giddy feeling blooming in her heart, and grinned, “You think so?” It wasn’t often she fished for compliments, but she had never been able to experience the solarium with someone who didn’t know that she had been the one to design and execute it before.

Jaime turned to her and quirked an eyebrow, “I mean… do you see all of this?”

Brienne looked around and felt pride for what she had accomplished, “I do.”

They finally reached their room after passing a vase of beautiful roses in full bloom. “I’m excited to see what’s in here,” he grinned as he peeked over her shoulder.

Brienne looked back at him with a smile, “This one has been my favourite room since the solarium opened, so don’t go getting the wrong idea when you realize what it is. Since you might be one of the few people to do so.”

He just looked at her curiously, “Wrong idea?”

Brienne blushed and opened the door. The room was oddly simple. There was a hearth to one side, which could be lit in the winter. All but one wall was made of dark stone, and the last wall was made of glass and faced the large lake that sat in the center of the Tyrell gardens behind the solarium. Between some of the stones that made up the walls, small flowers sprouted in a way that looked natural, but overall the room was much simpler than the rest of the building that Jaime had seen. In the middle of the room sat a fairly large, wooden table, not big enough to uncomfortably separate two people, and around the table were exactly two chairs. 

His eyebrows furrowed as his eyes flickered around the room, while Brienne got seated and pulled out a printed version of the contract that Jaime had sent her with her notes scribbled all over it.

After Brienne got situated, she settled herself in to watch Jaime’s face. He still hadn’t moved from the door and was concentrating on the room as though there was a puzzle to solve, as though he was missing the obvious reason why it was her favourite room. As she turned her eyes out to the scene of the lake outside, and thought how it made the room almost seem like it was situated on an island, she wondered if he _would_ understand. 

The instant the truth dawned on him, his eyes flickered over to her. They were wide and a lush, forest green as he whispered, “The cottages on the Quiet Isle in the Riverlands?”

Brienne shyly nodded, “Where Goldenhand the Just and the Blue Knight were wedded.” She knew that she was blushing, but she had loved the story, the fairy tale, the history before she had met him, before her _own_ Goldenhand had casually come into her life.

Jaime huffed in amusement as he closed the door behind him, “An agreement of a different kind.”

Brienne laughed while he took his seat in front of her, “A very different kind.”

Jaime grinned at her, “Not that different,” he said and set his bag on the table. Brienne flushed as she watched his eyebrows wiggle and caught onto his meaning. He pulled out a laptop and two completely blank contracts. At the top of one contract, written in black sharpie was “Dom-J”, on the other was “Sub-B”. 

Brienne blinked at the papers as Jaime pulled out a pile of pens and then set his bag on the ground. “We each have a different contract?”

“I once read somewhere that it’s a good idea to keep individual preferences separate so that there’s a record of what makes us different, and I liked the idea. It’s important when, for example, one of us wants to negotiate changing something in the contract later, like if they decide they like the idea of an act more than what we agree to now, but it still won’t change anything for the dynamic because the other person still ranks it low. Or maybe then we’ll both have it as fives, when previously it was a three for someone. Just because I really enjoy something, doesn’t mean you have to. Plus, just because you might like having something done to you doesn’t mean that I would like doing it to you.”

Brienne’s eyebrows furrowed as Jaime rambled. He didn’t seem distressed, per say, but he didn’t seem as confident as he had been previously when talking to her about BDSM. A part of her wanted to reach out to him and comfort him, “So that’s why you also have our roles written at the top?”

Jaime nodded and slid Brienne’s contract over to her. He took a moment to breathe then continued, “Yes. Just because I liked having certain things done to me as a sub doesn’t necessarily mean I’m comfortable doing those things to someone else as a dom.”

“Can I ask you a… potentially very personal question?”

“You can ask. I can’t promise I’ll answer.”

Brienne nodded in understanding, “Is it um… normal to uh… switch?”

“Normal?”

“I um… I entered the Switch forum on Seven Silks and Sands—“

“Oh, that place is a complete clusterfuck.”

“And there were so many people attacking those who identified as switches. The worst attackers were banned accounts, but it really seems like there are people out there who really don’t believe switching is a thing.”

Jaime grunted and rolled his eyes, “Obviously, it’s a thing. It’s just not a thing for them. They think that if they are dominant enough or if a switch finds someone who is dominant enough, anyone who has ever identified as a sub must remain a sub. They are loud, but they aren’t the majority.”

“So it’s not weird if I…” Brienne blushed, “If I might be interested in domming someday in the future.”

Jaime smiled at her gently, “No. Not at all.”

“Did you always know you wanted to switch?”

Jaime paused and Brienne waited for him to decide what to say. “Since I’ve known I was into BDSM I’ve always been interested in both roles, but… well, I’ve just never gotten a chance to try domming.”

“So, would you ever want to be a sub again?” Brienne asked curiously.

“Already want to dominate me, Brienne?” Jaime grinned, his eyebrow quirked and only a touch of nervousness touching the levity of his tone now.

Brienne flushed so hard that her face nearly hurt from the increased blood flooding her cheeks. She waved her hands in front of her face and squeaked, “No! Not yet, I mean… by the Seven,” Brienne huffed and then hid her face in the palms of her hands.

Jaime chuckled, “We can discuss it when you get there.”

“Ugg,” Brienne muffled voice resounded from her palms.

Jaime tilted his head and his fingers tapped on the surface of the table. After a couple of moments, he asked, “Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Yes.”

Jaime snorted fondly at the fact that Brienne still had her face in her palms, “If you’re completely new to the community, and you’re interested in both domming and subbing, why are you starting with subbing? You can have trust both ways.”

Brienne first peeked between her fingers, touched that he remembered what she had first told him she was looking for, and then fidgeted in her chair. “It’s going to sound stupid.”

“It’s not stupid as long as it matters to you.”

Brienne took a deep breath and looked directly into Jaime’s searching eyes, “Because of what I look like, I’ve always been put into a dominant space all my life. And don’t get me wrong, I love being there. It’s nice and I think I’ve worked hard to stay there and do well for myself, and it’s _why_ I’m interested in domming. But because I was put into that space, I’ve been made to feel ashamed of liking girly things, liking fairy tales, adoring princess stories, romance, all that kind of stuff, because it’s considered weak and I wasn’t allowed to be weak. I wasn’t _allowed_ to be vulnerable, or essentially… half of who I am. By choosing to try subbing first, I’m trying to allow myself to reclaim both sides of me. I want to live the side of me that doesn’t want to be in control all of the time, the side that wants to be cared for, that can put myself out there and not get hurt.”

Jaime’s eyes were warm as he took in all of her, “Brienne, I promise that if you put yourself in my care, I _will_ take care of you.”

Brienne gave him a small smile, “I know.”

They took a moment to just stare at each other before Jaime opened his contract, “But first, let’s continue to figure out if we’re going to get there. I suggest we do the checklist first before we move to the other things, just to see if we’re compatible or if all the places I have hard noes are the places you put fives and visa versa.”

Brienne cringed and glanced at her notes, “There’s a lot of hard noes on my checklist… I’m not… I’m not into…”

Jaime grinned at her, “Don’t worry. I’ve been in the scene for a while and some things aren’t just my flavor either. Let’s start with all the hard noes first?”

They both quickly agreed that anything on the checklist that involved scat and urine were off the list. Jaime didn’t mind having a third party or parties present, writing a 3, but Brienne drew hard noes through all of those categories. Abandonment was low on the scale for Brienne, a 1, but for Jaime it was a hard no. Neither were okay with acts that would purposefully leave permanent marks.

“It’s a hard no for me when it comes to knife play,” Jaime stated almost, _almost,_ evenly, writing in bold letters N and O. He looked up at Brienne, “Any sharp objects for that matter.”

“Okay,” Brienne acknowledged. Knife play wasn’t something she was interested in either.

Brienne expected the conversation to move on, but Jaime seemed to need to continue, “When a knife… the shears, anything that can cut comes out its no longer play.” Brienne looked up in concern and saw that Jaime’s grip on his pen had tightened to the point where the knuckles of his now left hand were white and his right hand was flexing. He gave her a weak smile as he obviously forced himself to relax, “Consider sharp things one of my safe words. A safe object, if you will.”

“I’ll remember,” Brienne promised, and stored that information preciously in her heart.

After finding all of the hard noes that either both or just one of them had, they started ranking the remaining acts. Ones denoted acts that were not appealing and could result in the end of a scene, but were not quite considered hard noes. Twos were placed beside tolerable acts that could be done if the other was highly interested, but were still not quite considered favored. Threes indicated acts that piqued a lot of interest and were generally liked. Fours specified acts that would be very much enjoyed. And fives were written beside acts that were well loved. 

“What if I like something,” Brienne contemplated as she considered the option of dirty talk, “But I have caveats?”

“Tell me every single one of them no matter how small, and then we both write them down. I have some extra paper if there isn’t enough space on there,” Jaime muttered as he reached into his bag to bring out a stack of blank lined paper. He then leaned forward, “What did you mean in particular?”

Brienne blushed but met his gaze, “I… I think I’d really like a lot of dirty talk, but nothing derogatory, nothing concerning how I look.”

“Good things, too?” Jaime asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Brienne shrugged, “I mean… I don’t think I would mind… if there was a single good thing to say.” Brienne looked back down at the checklist to write a 5 beside dirty talk and her caveats, lowering her eyes before there even was a possibility of seeing Jaime’s face betray that he thought she was ugly, too. 

“Brienne?” She made a noise of affirmation, while mindlessly retracing the 5 on her contract. “I consider you to have the most astonishing eyes, the longest legs, a body that you obviously work for…” Brienne slowly looked up to see Jaime staring at her with dark eyes, “Brienne. _I_ don’t consider you ugly. Not at all. Not from the moment I met you.”

* * *

Sometimes the number system didn’t quite work. There were a lot of acts Brienne was curious about and wanted to try, but she wasn’t sure if she would continue to like them after they were performed outside of her fantasies.

“Write exactly how you feel in the caveats and beside the number write an ‘I’ for ‘interested, I’d be okay with trying it now but the number might change after’, or ‘NY’ for ‘not yet - but maybe later’,” Jaime grinned, “Maybe even with me, if you still like me, that is,” he became a touch more serious, “And if you’re ready.”

Brienne rolled her eyes and muttered, “Like arguing,” under her breath and wrote a 4 beside blindfolds with the letters N and Y bolded beside it. She then scribbled another bolded 5 beside rope bondage, and a 3-I beside rope suspension. 

“I don’t understand the appeal of phone sex,” Brienne frowned and tapped her pen on her contract, “Like, how is it sexy to communicate over a metal chunk of technology while trying to get off?”

Jaime grinned, “Well, it’s not _exactly_ a straight line between dirty talk and phone sex… But if you like one, you’ll probably like the other.”

Brienne stared at her embarrassingly bolded, triple scribbled, heavily emphasized FIVE beside dirty talk… and calmly wrote a neat 4-I beside phone sex.

* * *

“Okay,” Jaime said once they finished filling out the checklist part of their contracts, “I’ll enter in my numbers on the first page of this electronic contract and you can enter yours on the second. I’ve programmed it so that the third table will autofill with both of our numbers and colour depending on the lowest score between the two of us.”

“You’ve thought of everything,” Brienne murmured.

Jaime took a while to reply and when Brienne looked over to his face, he seemed to be a bit far away again before he regained himself. Before she could say anything, he grinned at her, “Best be prepared. The electronic contract isn’t perfect. Typos can happen, caveats are hard to read, etcetera, so I’ll also scan both of our original contracts and link them to the electronic contract for reference. If you ever, or I ever, want to change something, we’ll indicate the change in the notes section and just change it in the electronic contract,” Jaime paused, “We can also just redo this whole thing again, too, if you’d prefer.”

Brienne looked at him gratefully, “When we get to it, we’ll see.”

Jaime nodded, “Okay.”

“Alright,” she reaffirmed.

When they finished entering in their numbers and typing in their caveats, they scrolled through the combined contract/checklist together to see how their numbers compared. Although there were a couple mismatches, for the most part it seemed like Jaime’s dom preferences and Brienne’s sub preferences fit nicely together. Brienne tried to hold back her blush while Jaime grinned salaciously while saving the file, “Looks like we’re quite compatible, Brienne.”

“Looks like it.”

A knock sounded on the door and Brienne squwaked so loud that Jaime winced and reared back from the sound. “OH GODS JAIME! PUT EVERYTHING AWAY,” Brienne exclaimed as she slammed Jaime’s laptop closed and started shoving the contracts and papers back into his bag.

“Um… I’m here with your dinner for two for Miss... Brienne Tarth?” A voice echoed from the other side.

“Oh yeah. They’re definitely not suspicious now,” Jaime cackled as he keeled over from laughter and Brienne tried to set him on fire with just her glare while still attempting to ram everything into his bag.

“Come in!” Brienne called once everything was away, her face on fire.

* * *

Jaime patted his stomach and leaned back in his chair, sighing happily, “Gods, the Tyrell’s really are something else.”

Brienne smiled and nodded at him as she rested her cheek on her hand and watched the sun set outside over the lake, casting pink and orange light into their room. “They hire a lot of newly trained cooks who are ready to impress. They also change up the rooms depending on the bookings. If a meeting was happening in here, there would be a bigger table and more chairs. A presentation? T they would lower the projector and screen out of the ceiling, and cover the windows. If someone wanted to just relax in here and use the room as a solarium, they would serve tea and bring in lounge chairs.”

“No wonder this place is always booked out,” Jaime grinned, “So, how did you manage to get this room on such short notice?”

Brienne gave him a small smile and put a finger to her lips, “Can you keep a secret?” she whispered conspiratorially. Jaime didn’t answer for a moment, his eyes unmoving from her mouth. “Jaime?”

“Uh, yeah?” he finally replied as his eyes flickered up. He sat up straight and pulled himself closer to the table, readjusting his seating position. 

Brienne raised an eyebrow and dropped her finger, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the table instead, “Can you?”

“Oh,” a smirk grew on Jaime’s face as he too leaned forward, his elbows on the table, “Of course I can,” he murmured, his eyes locked on hers. 

The low tenor of his voice made her spine tingle and all the ways they were sexually compatible flashed through Brienne’s mind. “The Tyrell’s always leave a room or two free for emergencies. You never know when something is going to break or a piece of equipment is going to malfunction, and they never want to have to completely turn out someone who has managed to book in. Well, at least that’s Olenna’s policy, and if Mace is clever, he’ll follow Nana’s legacy,” Brienne stage whispered.

Jaime mock gasped, “At the threat of death?”

Brienne snorted in quiet mirth, “Worse.”

Jaime bit his bottom lip in a way that did not belie nervousness, but something else entirely. The sight went straight to her core and Brienne pressed her thighs together. “Terrifying.” 

“Unbelievably.” She saw a lock of his hair shift from her breath.

Gods, when had their faces gotten so _close_?

Her eyes flickered down. His lips were still that perfect glossy pink.

A knock on the door sounded.

Brienne pulled away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be on vacation for about the next two weeks so it's going to be a while until my next update :( Gonna try and put a dent and get ahead in writing during this time though! Key word is try xD
> 
> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:  
> Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I have connections  
> lewispanda--> A) I'm tired  
> lewispanda--> B) Because of that I totally read that as "I have condoms"
> 
> Oh lewispanda... soon... someday soon xD


	6. Oathkeeper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing! The chapter wouldn't be as awesome as it is without her :D. Glad to be back and posting!

Once all of the dishes were cleared away and the slightly creased paper contracts were back on the table - Jaime still endlessly amused by the crinkles, running his fingers over them purposefully while grinning at Brienne as she tried to ignore him - they began the next part.

“First thing to establish,” Jaime said, finally stopping his non-verbal, infuriating teasing of her, “Safe words.”

Brienne nodded seriously. “The word I say if I want to end the scene.”

Jaime nodded back, “You say that word and everything stops. I will drop the persona. If you’re in anything restricting: bondage, blindfolds, gags, whatever, I’m cutting you out—“

“Oh, that seems—“

“It’s not negotiable and it matters more to me that you’re okay than the integrity of the stuff that is replaceable,” Jaime stated with a tone of finality, his eyes boring into her.

Brienne blinked, trapped by his gaze, “Oh… okay.”

Jaime grunted and ran his hand through his hair, then finally looked away, “I’m serious Brienne, don’t hesitate. I was serious when I said I have the money for the materials, and that includes replacing stuff. Plus, a lot of BDSM equipment providers have policies where they will replace the things you purchase for free if there is a need to cut someone out.”

“I understand,” Brienne said, “But also, I have money too, Jaime. It shouldn’t be only you buying the things. We’ll put money into…” Brienne blushed and waved at the both of them, “This… together.”

Jaime seemed to stare at her owlishly for a moment before he nodded slowly and gave her a small smile, “Yes. Of course.”

Brienne smiled softly at him in return.

“But back on the subject of safe words. It’s gotten popular in the community to establish a secondary safe word that’s used when you’re not at your limit, but when you’re approaching it. It slows down the scene without stopping it.”

“So we would have two safe words?”

“Yes, but if you’re going to remember one, remember the full-stop one.”

“I can remember two words, Jaime.” Jaime shot her a look. “I… think?”

He nodded, “Well, safe words aren’t just the responsibility of the sub. Not only can the dom use them too, but the dom should be making sure that you remember them and check up on you periodically.”

“The difference between a good dom and a bad one?” she guessed.

Jaime nodded, “Absolutely.”

“Okay then,” Brienne pursed her lips in contemplation, “What do you suggest?”

“Don’t you want to come up with your own?”

Brienne blushed, “I honestly don’t have any ideas. Do you?”

“I like the traffic light system,” Jaime supplied the idea, “Easy for both you and me to remember and both of us can easily use it.”

“As in, red is full stop and yellow is slow down? That makes sense and is easy to recall,” she agreed.

Jaime grinned, “And green means go on.”

“A… keep going safe word?” Brienne questioned with a tilt of her head.

Jaime’s eyes softened as he looked at her, his head also tilting ever so slightly, “Yeah, um…” he shook himself a bit and straightened, “I like the traffic light system because it gives me a way to ask you how you’re doing without breaking character too much while we’re in scene. You can also check up on me. If you want.”

“How so?”

“As a dom, I can just demand that you tell me what your favourite colour is randomly and it’s not, well,” Jaime snorted, “Too out there. You can ask me the same question, or the like. “What’s your favourite colour?””

She met his emerald eyes. “Green,” Brienne blurted and then turned red hot. Oh gods, she hadn’t just… her favourite colour wasn’t even green! It was pink! She didn’t admit it to many people, but it had always been pink.

“Exactly,” Jaime said, “The question will now trigger you to think about the safe words and re-evaluate how you’re feeling.”

“Oh yeah, yeah, okay, yeah, I get it,” Brienne’s voice went a few notes higher.

“That way, even if you’re not quite realizing you’re approaching your limit, the question will remind you to reevaluate how you’re doing and I can make sure you’re okay.”

Brienne was still trying to kill her blush, kill it  _ dead _ , “Yep, makes sense.”

Jaime’s eyebrows furrowed, “Are you okay? Would you prefer a different system? Mythical beasts and fruit are also really popular.”

“The traffic light system is fine.”

He quirked his eyebrow, “Just fine?” he asked, doubtful.

“It’s great Jaime, let’s go with that.”

Jaime tilted his head and asked curiously, “Brienne… what is your favourite colour?”

“Yellow!” Brienne squeaked. Yellow was practically  _ gold,  _ like his  _ hair. _ This was insane. What was her brain doing?!?! First his eyes, now his hair. Her physical attraction to him was getting out of hand. “Red!” Lannister red. By the holy Seven. She needed to quit. Right now. Her brain blue screened.

First surprised, he then reached out to her in concern, “Should we stop, Brienne?”

“No!” Brienne shook her head, “Sorry, um…” she frantically tried to think of  _ something _ , “The coffee that came with dinner. Too much caffeine. I was just reviewing all the colours… yes… that’s what I was doing.”

A smirk grew on Jaime’s face, “Maybe you should have had your coffee with some milk.”

Her blush effectively died as she remembered  _ watching _ him place three lumps of sugar and dump the  _ whole _ portion of milk into his  _ single _ coffee, “Maybe you should have drank some coffee with that milk!”

Jaime chuckled, “Okay, but seriously. The traffic light system. It’s okay with you?”

“Green is for ‘I’m doing good’,” not for Jaime’s eyes, check. She was being calm. She was being collected. She was  _ not _ gazing deeply into his eyes. “Yellow is for ‘I’m approaching my limit, please slow down’,” not for Jaime’s golden hair, check. Not for those shiny locks that looked like they would be soft flowing between her fingers. Nope. No.

“I mean… you don’t have to be so polite about it. Yellow can be for ‘I’m approaching my limit, slow  _ the fuck  _ down’,” Jaime japed.

Brienne rolled her eyes, “Red is for ‘stop right now, we’re done’,” not for Lannister red. Easy. She had this down. “I’ve got it. It’s a good, simple, and memorable system.”

“Okay,” Jaime said. They both wrote down the safe words under that section of the contract. “Next question concerns ways that I can refer to you during a scene and ways you can refer to me during a scene.”

_ Wench,  _ imaginary Jaime growled into her ear, when Brienne was playing with her rabbit. “What do you prefer to be called?” she asked, trying to keep a straight face and not bloody blush.  _ Again. _

“What would you be comfortable calling me?”

“Not master.”

“Okay. How about ser?” Jaime asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Brienne eyed him, “That expression makes me think that you’re saying the knightly ser and not the typical dommy sir.”

“Whichever you prefer.” The insolent smirk on his face should not look that good.

Brienne pursed her lips, then mumbled through them, “I’m fine with ser.”

“I also like just having my name used,” Jaime added.

“I’m also okay with that,” Brienne said normally, “Actually, I like that too. You using my name.”

“Okay. Do you want to be referred to any other way than Brienne in a scene? Brienne Arwyn Tarth maybe?” His teasing smirk said it all.

Brienne stuck her tongue out at him petulantly, then flushed again. It was a miracle that blood was going anywhere but to her face. “There is something I have in mind… but can I just… write it down.”

“I mean,” Jaime’s eyebrow arched, “I  _ am _ going to see it and can still say no if I don’t want to refer to you that way.”

“That’s fine. I’d just prefer to not say it aloud.”

“Then that’s okay with me,” Jaime said.

Brienne pursed her lips and stared at the name section of the contract, nearly burning a hole through the paper. Jaime quirked his eyebrow at her, a neatly scrawled “Sir/Ser (;P)” and “Jaime” under that section in his own contract. “Brienne” was neatly inscribed under names he could use for her and his pen was hovering in wait.

Brienne quickly scrawled the names she could use for Jaime and her own first name and then set her pen back down on the paper to indicate that she was preparing to write more and that Jaime should not dare interrupt. Jaime was almost boring holes into her contract now, waiting for her. Closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath, Brienne gathered her courage then opened them again and scrawled a small, teeny, tiny, but still legible “wench” under the question.

She looked up at Jaime’s face and stuck out her tongue at the surprised, amused, and then oddly heated expression on his face. “I’m okay with that,” he purred and wrote “wench” all huge and loopy on his own contract. “Do you mind if I also call you another endearment, something like darling or sweetling?"

Brienne stared at him as though he was an idiot for thinking that either of those two terms would ever apply to her, but nodded quickly anyways. “Health concerns!” Brienne said loudly, forcing the conversation to move along after they both wrote those endearments down.

Jaime laughed and tapped his pen on the contract, “There’s my right hand, but as  _ you _ noted, I’ve managed to train my left hand to do most things when my right hand isn’t doing well. But, if I think my right hand will cause a problem that can’t be compensated for by my left, we won’t plan a scene, and if it acts up during a scene, we might just have to change things around or stop altogether.”

Brienne nodded, “Okay. Um… I broke a couple ribs and my arm back in the day, but I’m okay now. Oh, obviously, my nose as well.”

“It’s very endearing,” Jaime grinned.

Brienne eyed him suspiciously, “But no health concerns at the moment.”

“Good to know. Next question, exclusivity.”

Brienne hummed nervously, “I plan to be exclusive,” she murmured quietly, smoothing her hand nervously over the page.

Jaime tapped his pen on the table until she looked up and met his gaze, “I do, too. If things change for you though, I’d like to know.”

“Fair,” like that was ever going to happen, “Same for you.”

Jaime chuckled and then said incredulously, “Sure.”

Both of them stared at each other for a beat of awkward silence.

The next question was about experience. Both of them circled novice since they were both new to the roles they were performing.

“How planned out do you prefer a scene?” Jaime addressed the next point in their contracts.

“I would rather not know what’s going to happen ahead of time, most of the time,” Brienne muttered, “Or at least, not in detail.” She didn’t think she would be able to take that kind of anticipation.

“Okay, I’ll keep to your 3’s and ups, then.” Jaime informed her.

“If you want to do something that I’ve put as a 1 or 2—”

“I’ll keep to your 3’s and up, Brienne.”

Brienne met his earnest gaze, “Okay.”

They then reached the questions about sexual health. 

“I got tested after I broke up with my boyfriend in university. I’m clean,” Brienne said, “I haven’t uh… I haven’t slept with anyone since and all the blood work I’ve had more recently has come back clean as well.”

“I got tested a year ago and have had no incidents since,” Jaime said, “I’m clean, too.”

“You’re sure?” she blurted out.

Jaime looked up at her, “Positive. I haven’t slept with anyone since, either.”

“You haven’t… what?”

“What?”

“You haven’t?”

“Why is that so shocking? You haven’t either.”

“I mean…” Brienne wanted to point out how she looked compared to how he looked,  _ again,  _ but knew that was unfair. “You must have had girls throwing themselves at you, though.”

Jaime shrugged, “Wasn’t interested.” Brienne wrinkled her nose and opened her mouth. Jaime held up his finger, “Don’t deny the obvious, Brienne. I’m very obviously interested in you.”

Brienne gapped a bit, but closed her mouth.  _ Why?  _ She asked internally instead. And how obviously?  _ Very? _ Her eyes almost flickered down to his lap, but she held herself together.

He seemed to hear her, but thankfully didn’t seem to clock where her eyes had almost gone. “Remember?” Jaime said as he leaned on the table, “You’re everything I hoped you’d be and yet you’re more. And as I’m learning each day, a lot more.”

Brienne regarded him and for once, instead of blushing, instead of doubting herself, she said, “So are you.” The look on his face made her heart slam against her ribcage. “Um… so… uh… next question is… oh uh… contraception,” Brienne stuttered. She looked up at Jaime, “I have an IUD, but would prefer if we at least um… started with condoms.”

Jaime nodded, “We’ll use condoms until otherwise stated.”

They both wrote that down on the contract.

“Last question,” Jaime breathed, “Aftercare.”

Brienne gave him a smile. The aftercare part of BDSM had been one of her greatest appeals.

Jaime sighed and frowned, then ran his hand through his hair in agitation; it was a stark contrast to how he had been acting so far. The smile on Brienne’s face melted away. “This is going to sound shitty, but the conditions I’m going to lay out for you are sort of non-negotiable Brienne - for your sake.”

Brienne’s eyebrows furrowed and she leaned back slightly, “For my sake? Sort of non-negotiable? I’m sorry, but I thought the whole point of this discussion was that everything was supposed to be negotiable,” she voiced her worries with a wince. Their previous encounters made her trust him, but the way he was talking automatically made her want to throw all of her defenses up. As a woman, especially as an ugly woman, she was constantly told what was best for her, particularly by men, and this wasn’t what she wanted from this experience.

Jaime leaned back as well, putting more space between them and glanced at the table, suddenly flushed. “By the Seven. Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” He ran his hand through his hair again, clearly agitated. “I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry. What I meant was that I know that we’ve already spent a long time discussing this, but it’s important. I’m not going to budge on these minimums. For you. It may not be safe otherwise.”

“What are they, Jaime?” Brienne asked, her rush of adrenaline fading.

“One. No pre-planned engagements after a scene for either you or me. If both parties are good and done then of course you can do whatever, just… nothing already set that forces you to leave before both parties are good and ready.”

Brienne blinked and gave it thought, “Just in case I need a long aftercare period.”

Jaime’s jaw clenched, “Exactly.”

“It might mean most of our scenes will be in the early evening.”

“That’s fine,” he agreed quickly.

“As long as you’re okay with that timing, then I’m okay with that condition,” Brienne replied.

“Okay then. Two. There needs to be a minimum half hour of physical aftercare, even if the scene wasn’t physically intense. I’m going to need to know that you’re okay and the only way for me to really be sure is for us to be physically touching.”

Brienne nodded and noted that Jaime was wringing his hands.

“Which also segues into three. Aftercare needs to involve acts like cuddling and kissing, maybe even out of scene sex if both of us are into it, but that’s not imperative. I’m not… I’m not into a dom/sub relationship where we won’t be able to at least kiss during aftercare, Brienne.” He looked down as though to avoid her gaze, and when he looked back up - just slightly through his eyelashes - he looked as sweet as a pleading puppy.

She blushed, nodding once more, “I mean, I… I’d prefer it to include cuddling and kissing, too.” Brienne had never had the chance to cuddle someone she had slept with before. Hyle had usually just turned away and fallen asleep right after the act and hated being the small spoon when she wanted to cuddle him. Also, she was  _ not _ going to express her opinions on how much she would like to have sex with Jaime, in  _ or _ out of scenes.

“And the sex?”

_ Damn the man. _ “I-I’d like that,” Brienne near tripped over her words. 

“What about the second condition. The half hour?” She had already nodded her agreement but he clearly wanted to hear it.

“That’s okay with me, too.” 

“Four,” he continued, “You can’t demand silence from me during aftercare.” Although it was barely perceptible, Brienne could see that Jaime was squeezing his right hand slightly, then releasing the pressure around it. 

“Why would I—?” Brienne started, feeling slightly horrified.

“I need to be able to ask if you’re okay and it might mean I’m annoying about it, but—“

“Jaime, I’m not going to tell you to shut up. I mean I say it all the time, but I never really  _ mean _ like… shut… up…”

Jaime asked weakly, “You’re sure?”

“I like…” Brienne searched for what to say… “I like…” she reached out and took one of his hands, his right hand, and nearly let go again when he flinched. But then his fingers curled around hers and anchored their touch, “I  _ like _ arguing with you. And we can’t do that if you’re being quiet.”

Jaime huffed and held her hand tighter in his.

Brienne hummed, “I also  _ do _ like just talking with you too,” Brienne murmured shyly, “You know?”

Jaime stared at her then slowly nodded.

“Do you have any more? Conditions, I mean?” Brienne corrected herself.

Jaime shook his head. His free hand was just resting on the table now, relaxed. “I know these conditions don’t work for every scene situation. I mean, some of those things on the checklist that we both ranked highly don’t even require for us to both be in the same room, which basically eliminates two of the conditions, but um… just, basically, basically those four things.”

“Okay. We’ll adjust depending on the scene. We’ll  _ talk _ even if we can’t be physically together. Maybe we can have um… stand in cuddling objects. We’ll figure something out,” Brienne reassured him.

“It’s not too much of a bother? These exceptions and—“

“No, Jaime. It’s not.” Brienne’s thumb ran soothingly over his palm.

Jaime let out a long breath, “Okay.”

“I… um… I don’t know yet what I’ll want in aftercare, but I think I’ll find out. Can I… can I give you conditions, too, as I figure out what I need?”

“As long as they don’t contradict mine,” he replied. Now it was his time to smile reassuringly at her.

“Jaime… you’re only asking for me to make sure there is enough time for aftercare, physical affection, and for me not to tell you to be quiet. That’s not asking for very much. I think that if I had known voicing it was necessary, I would have asked for the same things.”

Jaime swallowed and then his voice came out scratchy as his thumb rubbed the back of her hand, “It feels like I’m asking for a lot.”

“You’re not.”

Jaime nodded, “Of course you can define your own aftercare requirements, anytime, anything,” he repeated.

Brienne nodded and leaned forward to rest her forehead on Jaime’s. His shoulders lifted then lowered and she could feel his breathing return completely back to normal. “Are you okay?”

Jaime laughed under his breath and rubbed his forehead against hers, “You’re going to be great at this aftercare thing, Brienne.”

Brienne couldn’t help but laugh and rub his forehead back, “I think we’ll be good.”

* * *

They had parted at the entrance of the Tyrell Solarium where Brienne had seriously contemplated kissing him, but had decided not to. He had just looked so fetching in the moonlight, golden hair a glow and eyes bright and… Brienne smiled.  _ Happy _ . 

They had continued to stay and chat a little bit after filling out the contract. Nothing BDSM related. A lot of Arthur Dayne fangirling on her part and fanboying on Jaime’s part. It had been good. It had been nice.

Screw it.

It had been  _ spectacular _ .

Her phone dinged.

Brienne pulled it out of her pocket and saw that it was a message from Margaery.

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: How did it go????? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: My cousin thinks Jaime either had his dick out or that you two were doing drugs <3 <3 <3 _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: And I know you don't so drugs SO _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: 8=======D _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: So it sounds pretty successful xD xD xD _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Was it???? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Good _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: It went really good _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: BUT THERE WAS NO DICK _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: YAY!!! _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: EXCELLENT _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: To the good!!! Not to the lack of dick :( :( :( _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: You should get yourself a reward for doing your first checklist!!!!! _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Look what I found :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D _

Brienne opened the link Margaery sent her, extremely wary due to all of the smiley faces.

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Not quite the one in his pants _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: But it’ll make due :D :D _

She had been right to be wary.

But also…

The pop-up windows with Margaery’s messages kept appearing.

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: He’ll also probably have less terrible opinions about this one xD _

Brienne scrolled through the page, reading the description.

Maybe. Probably.  _ Definitely _ , she should have felt a little bit more appalled than intrigued by the item. But dammit, Margaery knew her well.

She added it to her cart.

And bought it.

Paying extra for express shipping.

She did deserve a reward.

And she  _ did _ have the money.

* * *

Brienne’s plan after what she dubbed as the “restart” meeting with Renly was to go home, collapse face first onto her couch, and possibly die. 

_ Whomp, whomp. _

_ The Idiot: How was work today? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’m just glad I’m finally heading home _

_ The Idiot: Stressful day? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Ugggg _

_ The Idiot: Understandable _

_ The Idiot: Articulate _

_ The Idiot: World changing _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Funny, you’re funny _

_ The Idiot: I know _

_ The Idiot: Any plans out tonight? _

When she got to her house, she saw that a package had been left for her on her front door step, tucked behind a leafy plant. Wrapped in brown paper and looking suspiciously nondescript, she knew instantly what it was. A jolt of energy went through her as she scooped it into her arms and unlocked her door, scurrying inside.

Brienne ripped off her shoes and threw all of her things on the couch then finally tore open the wrapping paper. She paused and decided to reply to Jaime before she got thoroughly distracted.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: No _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Night in _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I need to de-stress and relax _

She went back to her box and dug through the brown stuffing paper until she found her item. Written in gold letters on black cardboard was the word  _ Oathkeeper _ . 

She slowly opened the box. Cushioned inside was her second ever sex toy, a golden coloured vibrator that didn’t look  _ too _ phallic nor, thankfully, at all sword shaped. 

Little mercies.

_ Whomp, whomp. _

_ Whomp, whomp. _

_ Whomp, whomp. _

_ Whomp, whomp. _

_ The Idiot: So you’re free for the rest of the night? _

_ The Idiot: I might know of a good way to de-stress  _

He sent her a screencap of a very particular line in their contract.

_ The Idiot: Plus… you can see whether or not you’re actually interested or not _

Did he… did he  _ know _ what she had just gotten in the mail?

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: … Do you know where I live? _

_ The Idiot: No? _

_ The Idiot: Why? _

_ The Idiot: Is there someone outside? _

_ The Idiot: Are you okay? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: NO _

_ The Idiot: WHAT? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I MEAN YES _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you _

_ The Idiot: By the fucking Seven Brienne _

_ The Idiot: Why do you ask then? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: It’s just… your suggestion is just awfully well timed _

Brienne's phone rang not two seconds later. She flatly stared at the goofy, but unfairly handsome face that appeared on her phone screen. When in all names had he…

She pressed the green button and brought the phone to her ear. “Well timed?” Jaime immediately asked from the other end.

“You’re an idiot,” she muttered as she went to her washroom to wash the toy.

He laughed. “So, does it appeal to you?”

Brienne bit her bottom lip and stared at Oathkeeper as she cleaned it. 

This.  _ This _ was what happened when you mixed your old hobby with your new hobby. 

“I  _ would _ like to de-stress,” Brienne murmured, suddenly shy.

She could practically hear his smirk. “You can also see if you actually like the dom/sub dynamic… from afar.”

Brienne made a gurgling-like sound and Jaime chuckled. “Shouldn’t we talk aftercare first?” Brienne asked quietly, walking back to the living room, “Since this is one of the exceptions you mentioned?”

“Well, are you thinking of planning something tonight right now?”

Brienne looked down at the toy in her hand. “No. And I promise I never actually mean it when I tell you to shut up even if I say it later.”

“Okay.”

“You’re just infuriating sometimes,” Brienne teased.

“It’s part of the charm,” he retorted.

Brienne made a non-committal noise. “We won’t be able to cuddle or ki—“ she stopped herself before she could finish that thought., “But we can talk for at least half an hour after. I really am free the rest of the night.”

“That sounds good. So, where in your house are you now, then?”

“In my living room.”

“Oh, so I didn’t time it  _ that _ well.”

“I would  _ not _ be messaging you while…” Brienne flushed, “While…”

Jaime chuckled, “Don’t hurt yourself trying to say it, Brienne.”

“Shush,” she muttered.

“Are you comfortable enough to start?”

Brienne felt herself heat up, “Yes?”

“Tell me your favourite colour, Brienne.” Oathkeeper’s box dropped to the floor. Jaime’s voice had dropped as well, just a little bit, and the fact that he had made a demand rather than a request sent a bolt of lightning through her. She could still feel the aftershocks under her skin and her heart raced in her chest.

With her new toy clenched in one hand, her phone in the other, a breath whooshed out of her lungs, “Green.”

“Brienne, I want you to make your way to the bedroom,” Jaime purred.

“O-okay,” Brienne whimpered as she padded out of the room, Oathkeeper still clutched tightly in her hand. 

“Are you there yet?”

“Yes,” she replied truthfully.

“Excellent. Close the door and put me on speaker. You’ll be needing both of your hands.” Brienne could feel herself heating up and the blush crawling up her neck as she walked up to her nightstand, pressed the speakerphone button, and set her phone down. “Have you done what I told you to?”

“Yes,” Brienne murmured as she fidgeted.

Jaime’s next demand came out somehow both sharp and sultry, “Tell me what you’re wearing, Brienne.”

She looked down at herself, “I’m wearing my work blouse, and trousers.”

“And underneath?”

Brienne blushed, “A pink bralette and black cotton panties.” She heard Jaime groan on the other end. “What are you wearing?” she asked as she set Oathkeeper down on her sheets and played with the hem of her blouse.

“Other than the bra and the panties, we would be matching. I must admit I prefer boxer briefs myself,” Jaime purred. Brienne snorted at the thought of Jaime wearing her cotton panties. “Take off your blouse, Brienne.” He was clearly unbothered by her snort.

Her fingers quickly flew to the buttons on her blouse and while she was undoing the buttons, she asked, “Where are you right now, Jaime?”

“My office,” she could hear him grin.

“Your office?” Brienne squeaked.

“Don’t worry, Brienne. Everyone has already left and I was about to, too, when I got the most beguiling of text messages.”

“You were the one who proposed phone sex first!”

Jaime chuckled, “I was going to suggest it for  _ later _ .”

“Should-should we… continue this later, then?” Brienne asked.

“Are you still wearing your blouse?”

“… No.”

“Well, there’s your answer,” Jaime replied lowly. “Now let’s get those trousers off you as well.”

Brienne stood back up and began to wrestle her trousers off of her hips, when a thought came to her mind, “It’s mightily unfair that I’m undressing and you’re just sitting there fully clothed.”

“Mightily unfair for me, you mean? You can’t possibly think that I’m all that comfortable right now, knowing that all you’re in is just a pink bralette and black panties, Brienne.”

She knew what he meant, but she couldn’t help the small voice in the back of her head that told her he was uncomfortable because he was repulsed by the whole idea of it. She stamped down the stupid voice with the force of her will. He had told her he wanted her. She had to trust him… or else what was the point? “You’re alone?” she reconfirmed suggestively.

“Are you—“ Jaime’s voice cut with amusement, “Are you suggesting that I be scandalous, Miss Tarth? Oh shit—“

“You can call me Miss Tarth, it’s fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Green.” She was never going to be able to hear Jaime call her that again, though, without calling this particular situation to mind. Then again, she had already surrendered her first name to him, so really, she was just going to forever be a hot hormonal mess. “But for that, I really think you should take off your dress shirt and at least unbutton your trousers…” Brienne gathered her courage and blurted the next word out before it was swallowed by her embarrassment, “Sir.”

“I’m hardly being knightly, asking a maiden to undress,” Jaime teased as fabric rustled in the background.

“That was not the ser I was referring to, sir,” Brienne pouted.

Jaime’s laugh was warm and she finally got her trousers off from around her ankles. “Lie down, Brienne. I’m going to tell you exactly what I would be doing to you if I was there right now - and you’re going to tell me how that makes you feel.”

“Hot and bothered,” Brienne replied as she flopped back onto the bed and wiggled around so that her head was on the pillows. She reached towards the drawer of her nightstand and pulled it open, bypassing the teal rabbit and taking out the lube. She grabbed Oathkeeper and coated it so that it would be ready for when…  _ when _ . 

Jaime snorted, “I haven’t even asked you to do anything yet.”

“You’ve asked me to undress, Jaime.”

“Is that all it takes, Brienne?”

She turned on her side and stared at her phone and his doofy, sexy face, “M-maybe.”

“I don’t even think your bra and panties are off yet.”

“They aren’t.”

“Let’s change that, shall we?”

“What is the state of your clothes?” Brienne asked quietly as she slipped off her bra and began to slowly pull her panties down her legs. Part of her couldn’t believe she was doing this, the other part of her wished that Jaime was the one undressing her.

“Now, Brienne,” Jaime purred, “Do you think I would deny you anything?”

“Oh, Seven,” Brienne gasped as she imagined Jaime shirtless and golden, his trousers unbuttoned, his hand palming his cock, while he thought of her naked when in his  _ office _ . Was he stroking his cock? Or was it still trapped in his black boxer briefs? Brienne licked her lips.

“Hmm, how do your sheets feel against your skin?”

Brienne blushed and buried half her face in her pillow, “Soft… cool.”

“If I was there, you would be heating up. My body pressed down against yours.”

“I’m _ already _ heating up.” She flopped onto her back and closed her eyes so that she was just surrounded by the sound of his voice.

“Brienne, I would touch you just to hear you moan,” Jaime hummed, “I would kiss you lightly just to hear you beg.”

“I wouldn’t beg,” Brienne murmured as her hands swept up the side of her neck and then back down towards her bare chest.

“You would, Brienne. I  _ could _ get you to,” Jaime growled, “Now, tell me how I would get you to.”

Her fingers circled her nipples and then her hands kneaded her breast, “My um…” Brienne blushed, “My chest is really sensitive.”

“Too sensitive to nibble on?” Jaime grinned.

The asshole knew that she had put a five down for nipple clamps, “No,” she growled through her teeth.

“Hmm,” his voice vibrated, “Imagine my lips pressed to that soft patch of skin just below your ear.” One of her hands automatically swept back up and the tips of her fingers pressed at the tender spot. She knew that spot well; she had imagined him playing with it before. “I would trail my kisses down, leaving no marks on your long neck, Brienne, but the moment I reached your clavicle…” Brienne’s nails scraped at her collarbone, “I would bite and suck and leave marks for you to wear the next day and remember me by.”

“Jaime…”

“Fuck, Brienne! Do you know how you sound already? The way you say my name is obscene.”

Brienne squirmed, “Then maybe I could get  _ you _ to beg.”

“Wench!” A sigh vibrated through Brienne’s throat and she heard Jaime chuckle, “You really do like being called that.”

“Shut up,” Brienne muttered.

“For that kind of insolence I would run my tongue down between your breasts down to your naval, skipping your sensitive chest all together.”

“Tease!” Brienne snapped as she rolled her nipples between her own fingers and moaned quietly.

“Tsk, Brienne, you’re just doing what you want right now, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Brienne replied blithely.

“Don’t take away the fun,” Jaime hummed, “Isn’t part of the pleasure the anticipation of the way  _ I’m _ going to touch you?” Brienne shivered at the promise of his hands on her, of the pleasure he wanted to bring to her even as he teased her. She smoothed her hands down her stomach. “Are you behaving?”

“For the moment,” Brienne whimpered, “But I wouldn’t take this lying down… Jaime.”

“What would you be doing?”

“My hands would be tugging through your hair,”  _ your curled, soft, golden locks of hair,  _ “my legs would be tightening around you—“

“Gods, Brienne, don’t talk about your legs if you don’t want me to come right now.”

“What?” she asked breathlessly.

“They should be illegal.”

“You should be illegal!”

Jaime chuckled, “I think it’s time to take out your rabbit, or else I’m going to embarrass myself.”

If she was unsure about whether or not he had himself in hand before, she was fairly certain now. “I um…” Brienne stared at her new toy, “I already have a different toy prepped.”

“A - different toy?” Jaime asked, his voice both curious and rumbling. “Tell me what it is, I want a visual.”

“No,” Brienne squeaked.

“No?” Jaime questioned, “Brienne,” she could hear the delight in his voice, “Tell me.”

She grabbed Oathkeeper and blushed, “Nope,” she popped the P.

“Wench,” Jaime said with an all too knowing growl.

“Oh, for the Seven,” Brienne muttered, “Oathkeeper, okay?”

“Oath— Oathkeeper?” she heard the sound of keys clacking. He was searching the darned thing up! “Oh… holy shit.”

“I hope you were in an incognito window,” Brienne muttered petulantly, “You’re at work.”

“And you, Blue Knight, have a sex toy named Oathkeeper at the ready while having phone sex with me, Goldenhand.”

“I realize,” Brienne muttered dryly.

“It arrived today didn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Ah…  _ timing _ .”

“I hate you.”

“Brienne…” Jaime’s voice had regained a breathy lilt, “Tell me how Oathkeeper makes you feel.”

“Frazzled. Indecorous.”

“Not what I meant wench.”

Brienne sighed and turned on the toy. Instead of just vibrating, the darned thing also thrusted. Her other hand slid down and parted her folds; she was unsurprised to find how wet she was already. 

“Brienne, as much as I like hearing you sigh, I’d like it even more if you told me what you’re doing.”

“I-I’m touching myself,” Brienne murmured.

“Are you wet?”

“Are you hard?”

“Gods, yes. How do you like touching yourself?”

“I like—“ Brienne swallowed as her fingers moved, “I like to go slowly at first, in large circles a-and as the pleasure increases I-I circle in tighter, increase the p-pressure…” Brienne’s fingers flicked over her clit and her hips ever so slightly lifted.

“I’d like to see if you like it the same way when I use my tongue,” Jaime purred. Brienne made a strangled noise as her pleasure spiked. “Continue, Brienne. How do you like to use your toy?”

She took in a deep breath, “What about you, Jaime? How do you like being touched?”

He hummed, “I like being touched long and slow, deliberate strokes with a firm grip and—“ Jaime paused as though contemplating something, “With plenty of eye contact.”

“Oh,” Brienne squeaked as she imagined looking directly into Jaime’s emerald green eyes while giving him pleasure, while he gave her pleasure. The thought of it made her quiver. “W-with the toy I… I don’t like to play around with it very much, I just like, um…” Brienne took a couple breaths in to try and finish her sentence, but found that she couldn’t. Instead she just did what she liked, thrusting Oathkeeper between her spread thighs and groaning loudly with pleasure as her walls stretched around the new pulsing toy. She liked the thrusting motion. She liked it a lot. 

“Fuck!” she heard Jaime swear on the other end of the line before making a carnal sound that sent her over the edge faster than she had ever plummeted in her life. 

She bit her lip and held back a scream, fairly unsuccessfully as her back arched and the muscles in her lower back and legs tightened. A sigh left her lips as she withdrew the toy, squeaking in embarrassment at the wet sound it made. Jaime only groaned louder.

Turning off her toy, she threw it onto the nightstand, grabbed her phone, turned off the speaker and held the device up to her ear. The first words she heard from him were, “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” she replied, “Are  _ you _ okay?”

Jaime didn’t reply for a moment, but when he did, he sounded absolutely resplendent, “I am. Thank you, Brienne.”

“Jaime…” Brienne murmured into her phone shyly.

“Yes?,” he breathed out still sounding utterly pleased.

“I need to take that “I” off beside phone sex… and maybe change the number to a five.”

Jaime’s chuckles echoed. 

* * *

Jaime stayed on the phone with her while he walked home, claiming that he lived close to his office.

They had asked each other several more times if the other was okay, until both of them had dissolved into laughter at the mild absurdity. Brienne couldn’t help but smile as she heard him reach his house and get comfortable. 

“Do you want to… do you want to come to my place this weekend?” Jaime asked.

“What?” Brienne jolted and then felt herself heat up.

“I thought it would be more comfortable for you, for me not to know where you live yet, but if that’s not the case I can always go to your place when you’re ready instead. I’ll give you my address and you can give it to as many contacts as you want.”

“Are you inviting me over so that we can um…” Brienne flushed and buried her face in her pillow. They had just had phone sex, why was she still being so shy about this?

“Not yet. If you want,” Jaime amended. “I thought maybe you could just come over for coffee or lunch or something. Get used to the place before anything else happens. And so that you can, I don’t know, feel safe here.”

“That… that would be really nice Jaime,” she replied.

“Saturday, then?”

“11 am okay for you?”

“Hour of a human? Sounds perfect.”

* * *

She fell asleep two hours later while discussing with Jaime the theories on the identity of Azor Ahai and if they were the same figure as The Prince Who Was Promised. Both of them had agreed it was far fetched, but it would have been interesting if Goldenhand the Just or the Blue Knight had been one figure or the other. Brienne even told him her crazy romantic theory that maybe both of them combined, married,  _ in love _ , had represented one or both of the figures.

When she woke up in the morning, there were two messages waiting for her on her phone.

_ The Idiot: Did you know that you start snuffling about one minute after you fall asleep? _

_ The Idiot: It sounds adorable _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oathkeeper's motions are modelled after the toys by FunFactory :D
> 
> lewispanda Beta comments of the chapter:
> 
> “Tell me your favourite colour, Brienne.”  
> \--> Those "u's" are the true porn of this fic
> 
> “Now, Brienne,” Jaime purred, “Do you think I would deny you anything?”  
> “Oh, Seven,” Brienne gasped as she imagined Jaime shirtless and golden, his trousers unbuttoned, his hand palming his cock, while he thought of her naked when in his office. Was he stroking his cock? Or was it still trapped in his black boxer briefs?  
> \--> I've changed my mind. The "u's" are not the real porn here


	7. The Box of Sexy Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

Sansa and Margaery dropped her off at Jaime’s house at exactly 10:55 am Saturday morning. They drove around the block a couple of times, marveling at the neighbourhood and hatching absurd escape plans Brienne was not listening to, while she psyched herself up. 

“Safe call at 2 pm?” Margaery reiterated as they all sat and stared at what was Jaime Lannister’s place of residence. It was a small townhouse painted a cheery yellow with white trims and some stonework, large bay windows, and a well-tended front lawn.

“I have my alarm set,” Brienne agreed and fiddled with her phone, switching from her alarm app to her text conversation with Jaime. 

“We’ll storm the place down if you don’t reply and we need to call you at five past the hour.” Sansa’s voice was muffled, because she had her face plastered to the car window, trying to get a glimpse into the house and maybe of Jaime Lannister - the legend himself. 

Her two friends had decided not to SpiderSearch him in order to preserve the “mystery” - the mystery they were now blatantly trying to solve - and Brienne had decided to very vaguely search him up in order to just confirm that his name was not associated with that of a homicidal maniac. She wanted to learn about him… from him. Plus, she had gotten very little from her SpiderSearch anyways - other than some social media pages that she didn’t click on - there was just a company profile from a very corporate sounding URL. 

Brienne laughed at her friend and Sansa gave her the serious eye. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe Sansa, it was that she completely believed Sansa. Between the might of the Stark’s and the Tyrell’s, Jaime’s poor home would be sieged in mere moments.

Brienne fiddled with her phone again.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’m here _

_ The Idiot: I’ll be at the door in a sec _

Brienne looked up to see the front door swing open and Jaime appear.  _ Sec indeed. _ He looked around, obviously searching for her. The infuriating man was once again wearing a very tight shirt that emphasized his toned arms and stomach, and the way his jeans were slung on his hips was almost indecent. 

“Holy fuck,” Sansa gasped, her eyes widening.

“Wow, Brienne… wow,” Margaery agreed.

Brienne sighed as she took him in, “I know.”

“Is he trying to put on a show?” Sansa asked. 

“I think he just always looks like that,” Brienne huffed. She saw from the corner of her eye Sansa and Margaery shoot each other a  _ look _ .

“Well, get out!” Margaery cried as she leaned across Brienne to pop open her door and quite frankly shove her out of the vehicle. 

Jaime turned towards the commotion and a smile bloomed on his face at the sight of her. “By the grace of the holy Seven,” Sansa gasped.

“Go get him, girl!” Margaery shouted  _ too _ loudly, “Work that ass!”

“Get him good!” Sansa crowed just as loudly.

Before Brienne could turn around and kill her friends, the car sped away and turned the corner. Brienne buried her face in her hands and screamed silently.

Jaime chuckled from the entrance of his house and when Brienne turned around he was leaning against the door. His hands were in his pockets, an insolent smirk was on his face, and his back was arched with hips suggestively thrusted. All in all he looked like the demi-god he surely was. “I like your friends.”

She had  _ phone sex _ with this radiant man. “Really? Because I’m not sure how  _ I  _ feel about them at this very moment in time,” Brienne muttered as she inched towards the door. 

Jaime guffawed again as he straightened out and moved to the side to let Brienne in. “Welcome to my humble abode.” Brienne snorted at the greeting and took off her shoes at the entryway as Jaime closed the door behind her. She was  _ in _ Jaime’s house. “Looks like your friends circled around again to make sure that I wasn’t already throwing you out in a body bag,” Jaime grinned, glancing out the window.

“Alright, fine, I love them,” Brienne said and flushed slightly as she shifted her weight on her socked feet. “They might be out there for a while.”

“That’s fine. Do you think they’ll want to come in for lunch?”

“Knowing them, they have snacks at hand, and plus…” Brienne’s blush grew, “I was just hoping it would just be me and you.”

Jaime tilted his head and his eyes sparkled, “I was hoping that too.”

Brienne smiled, her shyness slowly dissipating.

“Would you like some coffee?”

“Sure. Black, please.”

Jaime rolled his eyes in a teasing sort of exasperation as he led her through the kitchen and pointed her through to take a seat in the dining room. “I’ll be out there in a moment. Make yourself comfortable.”

Brienne nodded and wandered into his dining room, admiring the cheery atmosphere of his house and how the details of the decorations she was seeing complimented each other. She took a seat at his dining room table and looked outside, resting her chin in the palm of her hand and her elbow on his table. Although she had expected to feel at least a little uncomfortable in this new environment, she already found that her anxiety was lessening as the minutes went by.

“For lunch, do you mind if we order in?” Jaime asked, coming into the room and passing her a hot mug of black coffee, regaining her attention back from his back garden. 

“Of course I don’t mind,” Brienne replied, taking a sip of her beverage and sighing at the taste, “What blend is this?”

Jaime shot her a smirk, “The Drogon blend.”

“Ah, no wonder I don’t recognize it,” Brienne goaded.

“But you’ve had it black. This just proves that it’s better with milk and sugar.”

“It’s obviously not,” Brienne replied and took another large sip for emphasis, “The preposterous amount of milk and sugar from my first cup last time probably coated and altered my tastebuds.” 

Jaime just shook his head in amusement as he took the seat across from her at his small dining room table. “Sorry I’m not cooking. I just didn’t have a clue what you would like and didn’t go shopping.”

“Why in all names would you apologize for that?” Brienne asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Jaime shrugged, “It would be nicer to have a home cooked meal.”

“That would be so much effort on your part,” Brienne said, “But thank you for the thought, that’s very kind of you. But know that takeout is perfectly fine.”

He took a dip of his own milky drink. “What kind of food are you craving?”

“I have no preference.”

Jaime grinned, “I was thinking Dornish?”

Brienne rolled her eyes and flushed, “You would.”

“Thematic day, Brienne.”

She scoffed, “Is this the real reason why you didn’t cook? The aesthetic?”

“I’ll have you know I can make several Dornish dishes.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well then, I’ll just have to prove you wrong some time.”

Brienne huffed, “Uh huh, in the unforeseeable future. I see what you’re doing.”

Jaime laughed. “Do you want a tour of the house?”

“Do you have a sex dungeon somewhere?”

Jaime quirked his eyebrow and a smirk appeared on his face, “Do you want me to have a sex dungeon somewhere?”

Brienne didn’t answer, but she surely did regret starting on the topic. One day, one day she would get a handle on her blushes. “Just give me the house tour, Jaime.”

“I’ll be sure to leave the sex dungeon for last,” he chuckled. 

They quickly finished their mugs of coffee and Jaime threw them into the kitchen sink before he started the house tour with what she had already seen. “Kitchen,” Jaime declared and waved his hands around them, then towards the back of the house, where they had come from, “Dining room!”

Brienne rolled her eyes, but looked around. The kitchen didn’t have that many windows, being between the back and front of the house, but the space was wonderfully lit with lights shining down at all angles, illuminating all the counters. The space was small but almost all of it was efficiently managed. There were signs of usage other than the scattered parts of the grinder and espresso machine Jaime had just utilized, and it was all rather homey looking and feeling. From the look of the place, maybe Jaime did know how to cook. 

Meanwhile, the dining room was naturally lit at this time of day, large glass windows and double doors leading outside to Jaime’s well sized and nicely tended, if not somewhat bare, backyard.

The next place Jaime went to was the living room, once again declaring very observantly, “Living room” and waving his hands again.

“You should become a realtor,” Brienne said dryly. 

Jaime grinned at her, “With large windows and high ceilings, this certain number of square feet abode—“

“Stop saying ‘abode’.” Brienne huffed playfully as she took in the love seat covered in nice quilts facing the television, the historical fairy tale themed art hanging on the walls – she would have to look at them all more closely later – and the two armchairs that faced out the bay windows. Margaery and Sansa waved at her from the hood of the car where they were eating popcorn and watching something on one of their phones. Brienne waved back with a shake of her head. 

Jaime waved at her friends, too, while continuing his spiel, “As I was saying, this  _ abode _ is perfect for any man looking to show his sub partner person—“

“Okay, stop!”

Jaime guffawed and waved at a door by the stairs, “Washroom!”

“Stop talking like that,” Brienne said and rolled her eyes again, trying not to smile. 

“Upstairs!” Jaime exclaimed and Brienne nudged his shoulder, which made him burst into laughter. “Okay, okay fine,” Jaime said, “But let’s go upstairs. That’s where all the interesting stuff is.”

Brienne eyed him, but followed as he led her up onto the landing. The landing itself was large and furnished with a couch, art, its own smaller television, and even a mini bar. One could call it a den, but it was too nice of a space for that moniker. “Why do you need two TVs?” Brienne asked.

Jaime shrugged, “Sometimes I have people over, and most of the time I just don’t feel like going downstairs. Plus, my free weights are up here and once in awhile I like to watch things while working out.”

Brienne hummed non-committedly, but allowed herself a moment to take in the man before her. His shirt really was doing his arms some well deserved justice and it hadn’t gotten past her when she had followed him up the stairs that not only did his shirt make his abdomen look nicely defined, but it also deliciously framed his lats and shoulders. Brienne winced as Olenna’s voice crowing of “bubble butt” invaded her mind, because she had definitely gotten an eyeful of that, too. 

When she snapped back to reality, she saw that Jaime was assessing her as well. Brienne felt a blush crawl up her cheeks again. She had listened to Margaery about wearing leggings and a blue shirtdress, even though she thought the ensemble was far too girly for her. She had maybe made the mistake of telling her friend about Jaime’s comment about her legs, and Margaery had more than just  _ insisted _ on that outfit - and right now Brienne wondered what Jaime thought of it all. Did her legs actually go on for  _ miles, _ as Margaery often claimed? Was  _ that  _ what Jaime had liked about them? Or did he just like the thought of them wrapping around him? Because she liked the thought of wrapping them around him. 

She needed to stop thinking.  _ Now. _

His eyes met hers and he gave her a soft smile, his eyes dark and his pupils blown. The way that he was looking at her made her want to gasp and rub her thighs together. Jaime coughed, and gestured with a nod of his head, “That door leads to another washroom, and this door leads to a bedroom. Let me show you.”

He quickly turned around and Brienne followed him, her nerves tingling. The door to the bedroom was open and when Brienne stepped in she couldn’t help the loud gasp that burst out of her. “That isn’t!”

Jaime turned back to her with the widest grin. “It is!”

Brienne nudged past Jaime and marched right up to the wall, paying attention to little else in what was a nicely decorated room. “It’s gorgeous. The quality!”

“The best replica money can buy,” Jaime grinned as he stepped up to her side. “Looks like I have my own Oathkeeper.”

Brienne’s face ignited and she rounded on Jaime, who had a smirk stretch across his lips and amusement dancing in his eyes. “Shut up!”

“Oh, I’m never going to shut up about that,” Jaime cackled, “Definitely not before I see your Oathkeeper.”

Brienne’s nose flared in embarrassment, “You’re never going to see it.”

Jaime waggled his finger, “Never say never, Brienne. I’d like to see your rabbit, too.”

“Arg!” Brienne whined as she turned all of her attention back to the sword and Jaime laughed. She decided that it was best to block him out as she admired the craftsmanship of the replica. When she felt that Jaime’s teasing spirit was sufficiently snubbed, she turned back to him and asked, “Where did you get this?”

He tilted his head back and forth, “Should I tell you such proprietary information?”

“Yes!” Brienne whined.

Jaime chuckled, “There’s this blacksmith in a back alley on the Street of Steel. The master is named Tobho Mott and only he can make replicas of this quality. I’ll send you the address and contact information. They aren’t listed.”

“Thank you,” Brienne replied with a glint in her eyes. 

Jaime nodded at her and then they walked back out into the hall. “Alright, and now, Brienne, last but not least, my sex dungeon,” Jaime grinned, knocking on the last door.

Brienne stared at him, “You can’t be serious.”

Jaime opened the door with a flourish and inside was… another bedroom. Brienne breathed out a sigh of relief. “ _ My _ bedroom,” Jaime said cheerily, “It would be the place I would have the most sex.”

“Would be?”

“I moved into this place less than a year ago, so I haven’t broken it in… yet,” Jaime said and quirked his eyebrow at her. Brienne felt herself turn red hot. “Want to come in?”

“I… uh…” Brienne swallowed the saliva gathering under her tongue, “Yes,” she replied, her voice an octave higher.

Jaime chuckled and let her pass by him before he too entered the bedroom, leaving the door open. “There’s an ensuite bathroom over there,” Jaime said and pointed to the corner, “That’s the walk in closet,” he pointed to the other corner, “And that’s the Lys king bed.”

“Thanks for pointing that out, Jaime,” Brienne murmured as she took in everything  _ but _ the damn giant bed, which  _ would _ be perfect for two tall, Tall, TALL people.

“Size of the mattress is important when it comes to tall people,” Jaime shrugged. Brienne blanched a little, wondering if he could read her mind, but then managed to gather her wits before she embarrassed herself. He casually sauntered over to his  _ accursed _ bed, making her  _ have to _ look at it – it looked like it had way too many pillows and was soft and inviting – and hooked something from under the frame with his foot, pulling out a trunk. “And this…” Jaime looked up at Brienne earnestly, “Is for us.”

Brienne swallowed as she looked at the size of the thing.

“Would you be more comfortable going through this out on the landing?”

“Um…” Brienne looked at the bed and then back at Jaime, immediately picturing him naked and lying languid on his own sheets, “Yes,” she replied. 

Jaime nodded and picked up the trunk, letting Brienne lead the way out of his bedroom. She took a deep breath as she sat down on the couch and sank right in, “This is comfy!” Brienne exclaimed with surprise.

Jaime smiled at her as he placed the trunk in front of him and sat down with a cushion on his lap, “It’s a futon, converts to a bed for when I have more than one guest staying over.”

“Oh,” Brienne murmured, bouncing a bit. And then she took in a deep breath and stopped stalling. “Alright, open the box of…” she thought about saying “horrors”, but instead went with the ever eloquent, “sexy things.”

Jaime snorted in laughter and popped open the trunk. The black bag filled with rope and shears sat on top, and instantly the familiar object made Brienne calm down. All of this was new and strange, but she had read up about it on Seven Silks and Sands, and most of all, she trusted Jaime. He had been kind and gentle with her from the start, sharing his knowledge and making sure she was comfortable. 

She wanted trust. 

So did he.

And that was the crux of it.

She  _ trusted _ him. 

“I didn’t get everything,” Jaime explained, “Since you said you wanted to—“

“Put my share in, too. Thank you.”

Jaime nodded, “But I got a couple of the more “starter” items as they pertained to our contracts.” He set the bag of bondage rope to the side and Brienne gazed at the other pieces of equipment stored neatly inside. An odd number of them were blue, the shade almost precisely like the colour of her shirtdress. She hadn’t realized it was Jaime’s favourite colour. “There’s a couple more things we’ll probably have to get before our first scene, but I thought it would be best to ask you what else you need.”

“I always use lube when I use my toys,” Brienne murmured absentmindedly as her eyes continued to roam over the different pieces of equipment. It was so strange. She was aroused by the thought of using them all with Jaime, but she wasn’t hot, bothered and flustered.  _ This _ was actually going to happen. He hadn’t decided overnight that he found her repulsive and wanted to back out. It filled Brienne with a sense of calmness and elation all at once. “I… I know I don’t  _ need _ lube for sex.”

Jaime’s eyes furrowed as his eyes flickered over the half of her face that he could see. He seemed to want to say something before he reconsidered. “We’ll make sure we have your preferred lube, then.”

“I’ll… I’ll make sure to get some before um… before our first scene and we can uh… add… add it to the box.”

“Okay.” Brienne’s finally looked back up at Jaime and saw that he was still looking at her. “Do you need anything else to make sex feel good for you, Brienne? Not just  _ things _ , but  _ actions _ .”

She felt herself flush lightly as she gazed at Jaime’s face, “Um… I can make myself come through both clitoral stimulation and penetration alone, but it feels better if I have at least a little bit of both.”

Jaime nodded almost sagely, as though he had learned some great, precious piece of knowledge, “I’ll remember that.”

“And, um,” Brienne felt herself sweat, a sense of shame clouding over her, but she wouldn’t be able to handle  _ not _ asking, “Can we not um… can we not do like um… doggy style or any positions where I’m turned away from you… the first time at least? I don’t mind any other time.”

Jaime blinked at her as though she just asked something completely absurd of him. He gazed right into her eyes, “I didn’t even consider it.”

Brienne breathed out. “Do you need anything?” She asked quietly in return.

“Just – just a lot of touching. Shoulders, back, anywhere, really,” he replied. 

Brienne nodded and stored it away in her heart securely.  _ Touching _ , “I’ll remember that.”

Jaime gave her a wistful stare. 

* * *

They had ordered their lunch before going through the items in the trunk, and when Jaime got a notification on his phone, saying that their food had arrived, he waved Brienne downstairs with a mischievous grin on his face. She followed him with her suspicion alarms on high, but then he pointed outside the window and Brienne watched as their delivery boy dropped off a bag to her two friends before making his way to the front door. 

At the bewildered expressions on Margaery and Sansa’s faces she wasn’t able to help her loud donkey laugh from springing forth. When Brienne regained herself, she noted that Jaime was staring at her instead of getting the front door. “Were you just planning on only feeding my friends?” Brienne asked, tilting her head towards the entrance.

Jaime shook himself out of whatever stupor he was in and jogged to the front door to retrieve their food. Brienne heard Sansa shout one loud “thank you!” to him when the door was opened.

And Margaery, dear Margaery, being herself, shouted, “You two were upstairs for a long time there, eh? Had some fun?”

Brienne glared at her friends through the bay windows, gesturing at her eyes and then at them, which only made Margaery laugh, and then Jaime closed the door after waving at them. “Do you want to eat here or in the dining room?” he asked in amusement, an absurdly large bag of take out in his hands. 

“Dining room,” Brienne said vindictively.

Jaime snorted and they both made their way to the back together. He placed the bag on the table and Brienne unpacked the contents as he returned to the kitchen to get two sets of plates and cutlery. By the time Jaime returned, Brienne was settled and looking outside again, enjoying the sunlight filtering into the dining room. 

They both quickly served themselves from the multiple dishes that Jaime had ordered, and while they ate they discussed the replica sword Jaime had displayed in his spare bedroom upstairs.

“Do you even know how to wield a sword?” Brienne asked as she broke off some of the flat bread, dipped it into the sauce and popped it into her mouth. 

“I mean,” Jaime said as he swallowed his mouthful, “I know how to wield a sword as well as any modern day man who doesn’t wield swords for a living.”

“So not at all,” Brienne snorted.

“I know that it’s sharp and that there’s a pointy end,” Jaime shrugged, “If the zombie apocalypse comes, I can only hope that VarysView stays online long enough for me to watch a couple videos and not accidentally stab myself.”

“Well, if that was real Valyrian steel, you would have less trouble.”

Jaime huffed, “Zombies are not the same as White Walkers and Others!”

“They so are!” Brienne argued, “Where do you think the concept came from?”

“There are undead things that aren’t White Walkers and Others in the tales!”

Brienne’s face twisted as he considered Jaime’s words. He was right. But she wasn’t going to admit that. She was not going to give him that kind of satisfaction, especially since his face was already looking all pleased and smug. So she reached for the first topic that came to her mind, “So, when do you want to have our first scene?”

Jaime choked on a chunk of spiced stew and pounded on his chest. After he was breathing again, he looked at her with watery eyes and laughed, “By the Seven, Brienne. Could you be any smoother with that?”

Brienne pouted and stuffed another piece of bread into her mouth. 

Jaime chuckled. “Would it be…?” he paused and Brienne tilted her head to stare at him. Was he blushing? “Would it be imperious of me to suggest tomorrow?”

It was Brienne’s turn to choke, and that was when she realized that bringing up this topic of conversation while eating spicy food was a terrible idea. She wheezed as Jaime ran and got them two glasses of water. When she was breathing normal again, Brienne peeked at Jaime from under her lashes and nodded, “Tomorrow would be fine.”

“Early evening?” he asked, remembering her condition.

“5 pm?”

Jaime smiled at her, “It’s a scene.”

* * *

It was 3 pm by the time Brienne thought that she had made her friends wait long enough. They hadn’t moved from the curb in front of Jaime’s house for four hours and there was more affection and devotion in that persistence than Brienne felt like she deserved. Her friends were the best and she loved them just so very much. 

“I’ll see you in a little over 24 hours, then,” Jaime said as he watched Brienne pull on her shoes. 

She nodded and pursed her lips. In just over 24 hours she was going to have sex with this enigmatic man in front of her and yet… and yet their touches were still so few and far in between and they hadn’t even…

Brienne bit her lower lip and gazed at him, wondering.

His brows pulled together, “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I, um…” Brienne murmured as she felt a blush rise on her cheeks. Her eyes flickered down to his glossy lips and his eyes widened. “Is it okay if um… just this once, we um… I, um… I know we’re just friends, but…” Brienne continued, trying to get the words out, but failing. 

“Brienne?”

“Can I kiss you?” Brienne blurted and felt the roots of her hair turn red. “I just… I just don’t want to… no, um… isn’t it weird if…” Brienne grimaced and shook her head, looking down at her shoes, “Oh, nevermind.”

When she got silence as an answer, she wondered if she had just committed the ultimate faux pas. They  _ had _ agreed to keep physical intimacy of that kind to the scenes and aftercare; maybe she had just sunk moments away from salvation. 

It felt like forever, but when Brienne finally relented and looked back up again to meet Jaime’s eyes, she saw the opposite of what she was expecting shining in them. Was that…?

“Gods, Brienne, always so polite.  _ Yes _ , you can kiss me.”

Brienne let out a small breath of relief and then without much more preamble, she leaned forward and quickly pressed her lips against his chastely, just the faintest of touches, before pulling away. She flushed again as she tried to shove down her girlish embarrassment. She had just kissed Jaime, a practical demi-god, and the man  _ was _ wearing lip-gloss! Or at least some kind of high-end chapstick. The shiny lipped bastard!

Jaime, though - Jaime was staring at her in astonished awe and before she registered what was happening, his right hand tangled gently in her locks of flaxen hair, giving her just enough time to pull away. But instead she let him pull her down again. “One more for prosperity,” he breathed, hot against the skin of her cheek, and this time when their lips touched it was for beyond just a brief moment. 

Brienne felt herself practically melt into his kiss as her hands flew up to grasp at the fabric of his shirt, her feet fighting a bit of a stumble as she fell into him and he  _ caught her _ . It had been so long since she had kissed anyone, but she didn’t remember it being like this, all heat and electricity, fire and ice, as his tongue brushed the seam of her mouth and hers naturally peeked out to meet his. 

Gods, she could completely lose herself to the feeling, and she knew that she would, if only her lungs weren’t burning. If only she could keep on kissing him and they could just infinitely share breath. 

All too soon, Jaime pulled away, but his forehead remained pressed to hers, a warm, affectionate comfort. He was panting slightly, but she couldn’t blame him - so was she. “That was a good idea, Brienne,” Jaime said, “But you should go or I’m going to keep asking for more tonight.”

“Who’s the one being polite now?” Brienne said, her voice a teasing whisper as a shiver ran down her spine. 

Jaime huffed in laughter, the tips of his fingers gently massaging her scalp. “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

Jaime pulled away and flung open his front door. Brienne scurried outside with a wave, understanding his need to get her out of there as much as her own need to get out of there. 

Too bad that their harried actions immediately caught the attention of Margaery, who stuck two fingers in her mouth and wolf whistled for the entire neighbourhood to hear. 

Brienne glared at her friend half heartedly, knowing her fire-truck red face was betraying her, and that Jaime’s charming laughter wasn’t helping the matter, but Gods! Gods! Did it feel good to know that he was still standing at the door  _ looking _ at her. 

Hyle - a poor comparator she knew, but the only one she had - had always shut the door the moment she was past the threshold. 

Brienne turned as she flung herself into the car and gave Jaime one last wave before Margaery sped off cackling, already armed with salacious questions that Brienne was both in no way ready, and absolutely ready to answer. 

“So, how was it?” Sansa asked cheerily as she turned in the passenger seat and positively beamed at Brienne, “He genuinely seems nice, if not a bit mischievous.”

“If mischievousness gets us free lunch, I’m up for it,” Margaery replied.

“His house is really nice.”

Sansa laughed a full belly laugh while Margaery pouted, “That’s not what we meant and you know it, Brienne! Unless that’s architect speak for...” Margaery wiggled her eyebrows.

Brienne held her hands up to cover her cheeks as she felt them warm up again, “Tomorrow! We’re going to have our first scene tomorrow.”

“Yes! Brienne! That’s my girl,” Margaery cheered.

“You’re okay with that?” Sansa asked.

Brienne nodded, “I am. Which reminds me though, we need to make a stop at Asha’s.”

“Ohhhhh,” Margaery said with mounting excitement, “He even asked about what lube you prefer?”

Brienne squirmed, but couldn’t help the smile.

“Do you want us to drive you here tomorrow, too?” Sansa asked with a tilt of her head.

Brienne eyed them, “You know how much I love you two. But _absolutely_ _not_.”

Margaery simply cackled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Squints* I think... I see... much smut on the horizon... OH GOD TIS A TSUNAMI
> 
> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:
> 
> “Oh, I’m never going to shut up about that,” Jaime cackled, “Definitely not before I see your Oathkeeper.” <\- I'll show you mine, if you show me yours.


	8. The First Scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

Yesterday, when Brienne had proposed 5 pm as the time to meet for their first scene, it had seemed like a good idea, a practical time. Having their scene at 5 pm would allow them to run errands during the day, give Jaime time to plan the scene, give Brienne time to prepare herself, allow for them to grab some food as either a late lunch or an earlier dinner, and then even not go too late into the night since both of them would have to be at work early the next day. 

However, in practice, 5 pm had been a terrible time. Instead of engaging in any form of productivity, Brienne had found herself unbearably distracted, her mind constantly jumping back to the previous night where just two simple kisses had set her on fire. She didn’t know how she was going to survive having sex with Jaime and that set her to trembling from anticipation, her hormones escalating to an unprecedented level. The lube she had brought from Asha’s was already safely tucked in her bag, ready to be transported to Jaime’s house, but with the way that her body was thrumming, she was almost certain it wasn’t going to be needed. 

In order to cool off, Brienne decided to walk to Jaime’s house, the breeze keeping her on track even as her mind wandered to all of the different things that they would soon be doing, Jaime’s promises from their phone  _ conversation _ taking the spotlight. 

When his house finally came into view, Brienne had to take several seconds to stop and breathe before she once again moved forward, her face turning hotter with each step. By the time Brienne found herself ringing Jaime’s doorbell, she was a bundle of nerves so horny that she literally ached. She had thought running herself ragged with her rabbit earlier in the day would have lessened her horniness somewhat, but it hadn’t. It hadn’t, even a little bit.

Jaime’s door swung open and Brienne blinked as she took in the man before her. His hair was exquisitely tussled, like he had been running his hands through it, his eyes were wide and dark, and his whole demeanor was tense and  _ almost _ dangerous - like that of a lion ready to pounce. “Brienne,” he said, his voice a raspy whisper, and her heart skipped a beat.

She bit her lip and greeted him shyly, “Evening, Jaime.”

“Come in.” He stepped aside for her, his eyes roaming the length of her. She had gone through her whole wardrobe trying to pick something that would be suitable for the evening and Margery’s only bit of advice when Brienne had called her in a flurry of panic had been, “Something easy to take off.” So Brienne had worn a nice and simple black camisole over dark washed skinny jeans because those had been the first two items that she had grasped after that comment, since at that point she just  _ couldn’t _ .  _ Absolutely couldn’t. _

She regretted not wearing something a bit,  _ a lot _ , nicer now that she was at Jaime’s and he was looking sinful in a casual white button up, undone at the collar and untucked into his own pair of dark washed jeans. But she was going to try and not dwell on that too long. Jaime was closing the front door behind her after all. 

“Would you like something to drink?” Jaime asked.

Brienne bit her bottom lip and watched as his gaze seemed to lock onto the motion, his dark eyes somehow getting darker, “A glass of water, please.”

Jaime nodded as Brienne pulled off her shoes, “I’ll meet you upstairs on the landing?” He waited for her reply, making sure she was okay with his suggestion.

“Okay,” Brienne murmured and watched him disappear into the kitchen. She fixed her shoulder straps and took a couple deep breaths before she practically sprinted up the steps and threw herself onto the futon. She dug into her bag, pulled out her bottle of lube, and set it down on the table. While waiting for Jaime, Brienne readjusted where she set it a couple times, cringing as she nervously shifted it around. What was the etiquette when it came to giving your BDSM partner some of the materials that would be needed for the night? She didn’t know, and so she found herself just staring forlornly at the bottle in her hand when Jaime appeared upstairs.

He cleared his throat, “Is that your preferred brand?” Brienne looked up at him nervously and nodded, the bottle of lube still in her hands. Jaime set down two glasses of water onto the table and sat down beside her. She felt herself gravitate towards him. “You’re doing okay?” He paused and Brienne’s eyes flickered up to have her gaze caught by his, “Still feeling good about tonight?”

“Splendid, actually,” Brienne murmured as she noted how close they were now and how the dark hue of his eyes better allowed her to see herself. She had put on a smattering of makeup to mark the occasion, but she knew that makeup did little good for the mismatched features of her face or for hiding her blush. However, it was strange seeing her reflection in his pupils because she, for once, didn’t see someone ugly reflected back. She couldn’t quite describe the woman she was seeing, the way the woman made her feel, but Brienne  _ liked _ her.

Jaime reached out and plucked the bottle of lube out of her hands then fiddled with it, his gaze breaking away from hers so that he could read the label. Brienne blinked as she crashed out of her daze. She reached over to her glass, drank a large gulp of water and then one more. 

“How are you feeling?” Brienne asked as she set her glass down and fidgeted. 

Jaime looked up at her and gave her a smile, small but sincere, “Excited.”

“Me too,” she admitted, his smile now reflected by her own.

Jaime took a drink from his own glass and then turned fully towards her, his body language open and ready. “You good?” he asked seriously, “Would you like anything else?”

Brienne relaxed and shook her head.

Jaime’s hand reached out towards her face, but just before his fingers touched the flushed skin of her cheek, he said, his voice low and rumbling, “Brienne, tell me your favourite colour.”

Brienne lips parted as one of her hands reached up to hover just over his, her blue eyes once again locked onto his, “Green.”

And then all at once, he was cupping her cheek, and her hand was grasping onto his hand, and his lips were pressed against hers and the  _ fire _ , oh gods the fire blazed so much hotter than what her poor memory could conjure. She melted into him as his other hand went to firmly, but gently massage her thigh. Jaime pulled her closer to him until she had to use him as her support lest she topple gracelessly over his lap, her other hand braced on his shoulder, her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. 

When their kiss broke, Brienne had to gasp for air as stars danced in front of her eyes. Jaime’s lip pressed against the line of her jaw, peppering kisses back to the tendon of her neck where she felt his teeth give her a hard but brief nip, followed by the soothing hotness of his tongue lapping at the bite. Brienne groaned at the feeling as her hand slid down his chest and the other grabbed onto one of his belt loops for dear life. 

“Fuck, Brienne,” Jaime’s hot breath caressed her ear, “I can’t wait to get you into my bedroom, tie you up, and fuck you until you scream.” The tone of his voice, how he was touching her - it was almost like he was a different person than the one she had just been talking to. He was the man she had spoken to on the phone all those nights ago.

“Jaime,” Brienne gasped as red hot desire shot through her, making her squirm against him.

“Let’s start with getting you in the bedroom,” Jaime growled and then Brienne squeaked as his arms wrapped around her and she was hefted to her feet. Bewildered by being practically  _ picked up _ Brienne stared at Jaime wide eyed and he smirked  _ cockily _ at her, “ _ Wench _ .”

She vaguely registered him grabbing the bottle of lube with one hand before he turned her towards the bedroom. His hands caressed her while they guided her firmly in the right direction, one of his palms set on her ribs just below one of her breasts and the other fumbling with the bottle of lube while still somehow tangling with her hair. His lips were pressed to hers, his tongue exploring her mouth and battling hers so that Brienne could barely understand which way was up, both of her hands looping behind his neck so that she could pull him closer.

They stumbled; the two of them crashed against the wall in the hallway before they could make it even half way to Jaime’s bedroom. Although he was a little bit shorter than her, Brienne didn’t feel absurdly tall and hideously broad when she was pressed between him and the wall. She felt  _ good _ . She felt content. She felt like her body belonged in this space, pressed so close to him. 

And, oh  _ gods _ , she could feel him hard and ready against her thigh. The little annoying voice in the back of her head that whispered mockingly that he wouldn’t be able to get it up for her, died a violent death as Jaime’s hand slid down her torso, gave her ass a firm appreciative squeeze, and then flowed further down to hitch her leg against his hip so that she could feel the hardness of his cock pressed right up against her. 

“Jaime,” burst out of her mouth before she could stop the cry and she bit down hard on her lip to silence what may come out next.

Jaime pulled his lips away from her, his eyes glazed with lust. “Say my name again.”

At Brienne’s reticence to do as he commanded, Jaime thrust against her and she let out a strangled whisper, “Jaime!”

Jaime shook his head and nipped at her shoulder, “Not like that, wench. I want you to cry out my name like you did just before.”

He thrust against her again, but this time instead of hard and fast, his movement was slow and deliberate, making her moan in restrained pleasure. Brienne shook her head as her eyes widened and her knee shook. Men didn’t want her loud and braying in bed. Hyle had hated the thought of others overhearing them having sex. 

Jaime’s emerald eyes flashed, as he seemed to somehow understand her reserve. However, instead of the sweet understanding that had come out during other occasions, this time he gave her a delighted leonine smirk. “Well then, I guess getting you screaming has just become a challenge,” he leaned in to growl into her ear, “And Brienne? I do so  _ love _ a challenge.” Brienne’s knee nearly buckled beneath her, but Jaime  _ had  _ her safely in his arms. His voice! His blasted voice that already normally sent shivers down her spine, had sent shockwaves instead, and maybe she would die tonight, but at least she would die happy and sexually satisfied. She wrapped her own arms around his shoulders and buried her face into his neck as she tried to regain herself. There was no way that her jeans were not soaked right through now as she shyly ground back against him. His deep, teasing chuckles, reverberated from his chest to hers as he kissed her temple and continued to press the hardness of him against her. 

And then her foot was back on the floor, and the wall was no longer against her back, and they were moving towards the bedroom again.

By the time the door to his bedroom shut behind him and he had thrown her down on his bed, Brienne was dizzy from his kisses. She could feel that her lips were ever so slightly swollen from the lavish attention. 

She sat up on the soft mattress to see that Jaime was leaning against his closed door, his arms behind his back pressed against the door, his body inviting, and his eyes raking down her body. He had left all of the blinds open, letting the early evening sunlight cascade onto the bed. “Undress for me, Brienne.”

“What?” she asked as she stared at him.

“I want you to undress for me,” he repeated. “I want to see every mile of you and that’s going to be fucking hard if I’m too close. And all I want to do is kiss you. So, undress for me,” Jaime said once more, a note of urgency in his tone.

She met his eyes, and almost like she was put into a trance, Brienne nodded and slowly stood up. His eyes followed her face as she rose and bit her lip shyly. Jaime grunted and moved as though he was going to step towards her, before he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and leaned back, keeping himself against the door almost forcefully. Brienne could feel her blush blooming on her cheeks and crawling down her neck, and Jaime’s eyes following the flush of her skin until they stopped on her fingers playing with the hem of her camisole. 

In a rush of movement, before her nerves could get the better of her, Brienne pulled her camisole off over her head and dropped it to the floor. She watched as Jaime’s throat bobbed and his hand squeezed. “Fuck,” he murmured as his eyes washed over her torso.

Brienne played with the button of her jeans, “These too?”

“Absolutely. Show me those fucking legs, wench,” Jaime growled as his eyes snapped to her hands. 

Brienne let out a slow breath as she undid the button and pulled down the zipper. She shifted her jeans off of her near non-existent hips - but nicely shaped butt - and bent down to try and more gracefully pull her jeans off her feet rather than kicking them off. Jaime gasped loudly and grunted, apparently speechless, as the lengths of her freckled legs were revealed.

That was when she realized what she had  _ done _ . Brienne felt mortified. She had had all day, but had spent so much of it trying not to think about the evening that she hadn’t thought about her  _ underwear _ . Not only did her bra and panties not match, she had worn her comfiest bralette, the one with all the holes, and her flower printed, pink, cotton undies. How could she have  _ overlooked _ this crucial step? It should have been the first thing she should’ve thought of. Jaime was going to think she was such a  _ slob _ .

Jaime must’ve noticed the falling expression on her face, for he finally came towards her, concern on his face. His pretenses dropped this time. “Brienne? Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” Brienne replied quietly as she wondered at the disparaging comments that must’ve been going through his head. 

“Tell me your favourite colour, Brienne.” His eyebrows were pulled together as he scanned her face.

Brienne re-evaluated how she felt. She was mortified at her oversight, but she didn’t want to stop. She really, really didn’t want for  _ him _ to want to stop. “Green,” Brienne murmured, and then… just to give him a way out just in case he had been utterly turned off by her first time, stupid faux pas, Brienne quietly asked, “What’s your favourite colour, Jaime?”

Jaime’s eyebrows only pulled together more, but his voice was firm and sure, “Gods wench! Green, bloody green, green, green!”

And like a magic spell, his words, the eager insistence that he wanted to continue dispelled Brienne’s mortification and she relaxed into his waiting arms. Soon enough what undergarments she had been wearing wasn’t a problem anymore, since she wasn’t wearing  _ any _ , courtesy of Jaime giving up not trying to be close and kissing her senseless while divesting her of her last shreds of clothing. 

Brienne surfaced from his kisses and gasped, “This seems really unfair,” she pouted as her hands reached for the buttons of his shirt. His hands on her wrists stopped her and before she knew what was happening she was splayed again on the cool sheets of his bed, both of her wrists in one of his hands, her legs still dangling off the side.

Jaime grinned smugly at her as he reached into the pocket of jeans and pulled out one of the blue silk ties that she had seen in their box of sexy things just the previous day. “Whoever said anything about fair, Brienne?” Jaime purred as he wrapped the silk tie around both of her wrists and tied it off in a simple bow that Brienne quickly realized she could very easily undo. 

She blinked up at him wide eyed and a touch bewildered, as he gently pressed her tied hands above her head with a raised eyebrow and an expectant gaze. When he drew back Brienne didn’t move and Jaime smirked at her, pleased. 

“Now, wench,” Jaime said, his voice rumbling as he put one knee on the bed and leaned over her to press a kiss onto her lips, “You’re going to tell me when you get close to coming tonight, do you understand? Every time.”

“Yes…” Brienne gulped as a strange sense of euphoria engulfed her and she closed her eyes to revel in the sensation of his breath against her cheek, “Sir.”

“Good,” Jaime murmured as his fingers combed through her hair and then grazed down the side of her face, neck, shoulder and torso. 

Brienne swallowed as she opened her eyes again and saw that Jaime was on his knees, on the floor, between her legs. “Jaime, what are you doing?”

Jaime licked his lips obscenely as he threw her knees over his shoulders, “What do you think?” 

And then his tongue was on her and Brienne nearly shrieked at the sensation. Her back arched clear off the bed. Her hands twisted within the silk tie, but she still didn’t move them, instead curling her fingers into his sheets and holding on as he lapped at her slick folds covered in her arousal. She had imagined what it would feel like multiple times to… but she had  _ never _ … and,  _ oh gods _ , she could feel his lips form a seal over… and then… he  _ sucked _ … and she gasped as her back arched again.

Jaime’s hands gripped her hips as Brienne squirmed at all of the sensations coursing through her. She bucked against his hold and took pleasure in him being strong enough to almost completely hold her down. Then she made a mistake. She opened her eyes and looked down the length of her body, and there at the juncture of her thighs were his sparkling,  _ wicked _ eyes. “Jaime, I’m going to…” she wasn’t even able to finish her sentence, but as she was almost about to break through the surface, he pulled away.

Brienne threw back her head and almost screamed in frustration as his low chuckles echoed through the room. She tapped her heels belligerently against his back. 

“What are you doing?” Brienne almost hissed as she lifted her head and glared at him as her high slowly drifted away to a distant hum.

Jaime simply continued to grin, completely satisfied with her reaction, “Looks like eye contact does something for you too, wench.”

Brienne was ready to cuss at him, like the sailors that docked at her father’s marina, her reticence at swearing be damned.  _ This _ was an exception. But before she could, his lips were back on her and suddenly his game clicked in her barely functioning mind as his tongue somehow brought pleasure upon her even quicker than before. It was something in the checklist that she had searched up because she hadn’t known what it meant. But when she had read about it on Seven Silks and Sands, she had immediately known that it would score a 4 or a 5. 

_ Edging _ . Jaime was fucking  _ edging _ her. 

And like the absolute nitwit that she was, she was going to  _ let _ him. 

Let him  _ deny _ her.

Because she  _ wanted _ him to.

_ Fuck! _

He  _ was _ going to make her scream.

“Jaime!” she panted again, trying to keep her voice in her throat and sounding strangled instead, and like clockwork he pulled away.

“You’re being so good, Brienne,” Jaime praised as he nuzzled his nose into her quivering thigh, his hands smoothing over her hips, “I thought with the way our phone sex went, you would end the fun.”

Brienne was still gasping for air, “I told you,” she wheezed and squeezed her eyes closed as Jaime dived right back in again with no warning, “I’m the funnest of fun.”

Jaime’s burst of laughter against her clit nearly sent her over the edge again in a heartbeat, and this time she had to firmly tap him with her heel to get him to stop because if she opened her mouth, the whole neighbourhood would surely hear her bellowing his name.

It was somewhere between five and an infinity cycles later, after he had added his forsaken  _ fingers _ into the mix and when Brienne was somehow a taught bow of mush, that Jaime emerged from between her thighs. “Please, please, please, tell me you aren’t going to end it there,” Brienne huffed weakly as she tried to take in deep breaths as stars hovered behind her eyes but refused to burst. She felt like she had just run a marathon and a single quick, hard swipe over her clit would send her hurtling through the stratosphere, burning bright. But she had felt that several cycles ago, yet here she was, still back on earth, out of her own bloody volition. 

Jaime grinned at her as he finally, fucking  _ finally,  _ reached for the buttons of his shirt. “Don’t worry, wench, I’ve only managed to tick off two things on this evening’s checklist. Do you remember what the final thing was?”

Brienne whirled her brain into a gear and tried at coherency.

Get her into his bedroom.

Brienne felt the softness of Jaime’s bed sheets against her skin.

Check.

Tie her up.

Her wrists flexed only somewhat stiffly above her head.

Check.

Fuck her until she screamed.

Brienne blinked as she watched Jaime shrug off his shirt and his jeans, taking his boxer briefs off with them.

_ Oh.  _

Screw thinking he was just a  _ demi _ -god.

She  _ had _ upped and died. 

Nothing else would explain the being that stood before her, golden and glorious, smug and assured, his erect cock almost pulsing and weeping… for her. 

She vaguely registered that Jaime was ripping open a foil packet and a small smile appeared on her face as he rolled the condom on and squeezed a generous amount of their lube over his length. 

Human or not, she could  _ trust _ Jaime. All the things he had planned for the evening had been her 4’s and 5’s, not even touching the 3’s, and he had taken their first time slow while not taking the promised dynamic away from her. He had listened, would listen, was acting domineering but also so gentle with her. And his hands on her only emphasized that point as he guided her to shift backwards on his bed where he tenderly lowered her head back down on what could possibly be the plushiest pillows she had ever rested upon. One of his hands pulled at the bow to the silk tie binding her and the material fell easily off her wrists. 

The instant her wrists were free, she wrapped her arms around Jaime’s shoulders as he hovered over her, his hips cradled between her thighs. Her hands carded through his golden locks of hair and rubbed his back. Brienne nuzzled his temple with her nose and slid her calves over his thighs. She wanted to just wrap herself around him. 

He liked touching. 

She wanted to touch him.

“Brienne,” Jaime murmured and kissed her.

Before he could demand or ask, Brienne opened her eyes and met his. From the way his expression morphed as their gazes met, she knew he could see how  _ happy _ she was. “Green,” she murmured and kissed him back. 

There was little preamble as Jaime guided his cock to her entrance, dallying for only a moment before thrusting into her fully. It was the way she had described how she liked to play with her toys - rough, hard, and fast - and she ran her hands over his shoulders and arms as the newness of him filled her. He stretched her and warmed her, and although she had the time span of several years to cloud the sensation of what it had been like to have a man in her, she knew that it had never felt like  _ this  _ before. Jaime leaned down and nipped her ear. His deep voice growled, “This time, wench, don’t hold back. Come for me.”

She wrapped her legs around his waist.

And then he drew back and thrust forward with a grunt of pleasure and she immediately fell. The most pleased of rumbles, almost purrs, vibrated from him as she screamed his name, the built up sensation of denial crashing together all at once to throw her into a realm she had never before experienced. 

And it just wouldn’t fucking  _ stop _ .

The moment she thought that her orgasm was going to subside, Jaime’s movements would deepen and lift her back up, and  _ holy fuck _ . Was _ this _ what edging did?

Brienne cried out Jaime’s name again and again as her fingers tangled into his hair or dug into his muscles. One powerful leg stretched higher up his back to force him closer to her while the other one planted on his mattress so that she could meet him stroke for stroke. Jaime swore up a storm above her as he suddenly sat up on his haunches, swung her legs onto his shoulders, and then pressed down again. “Mother of fuck, Brienne,” Jaime gasped as her legs easily flexed back and the angle of him inside of her changed to hit something new and world ending. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he hissed, “I’m not going to last!”

Brienne’s scrambled to gain purchase on him as he rapidly plunged into her with quick and hard strokes that turned her vision white.

“Fuck wench, the way you’re—” Jaime groaned above her in his release as her walls repeatedly seized around him, squeezing him tighter and tighter with every orgasm that ripped through her.

Slowing down and pulling himself out of her, he disappeared for just a moment before suddenly a blanket was thrown over her and wrapped around her, and she was firmly pulled into a circle of warmth, her face buried in the crook of his neck as he ran his hands through her hair. 

“There, there. I’m right here,” Jaime murmured soothingly as he kissed the crown of her head and brought her legs between his own, “Just breath in and out slowly. I have some water if you need it.”

That was when Brienne realized that she was still murmuring his name, soft and seeking instead of begging and screaming. She hadn’t  _ stopped _ saying his name from the moment she had first come. She nuzzled into him as the world came back into focus around her and she took one deep breath in and one deep breath out. “Wow,” was the first thing that came out of her mouth after she regained the ability to speak. 

Jaime chuckled and kissed her forehead, “Wow is right, Brienne. You should have told me you can stretch your legs behind your head. I was not ready.”

“Yoga,” Brienne murmured and tilted her head to kiss his jaw. 

“Was that okay?” Jaime asked as he smoothed some strands of hair out of her face.

“I still can’t see straight, Jaime,” Brienne replied as one of her hands went to grasp his hip, “Okay is undercutting it a bit.”

“So you enjoyed it.”

Brienne blinked a couple times so that the haze could completely dispel. She reached up, cupped Jaime’s face, and kissed him sweetly on the lips, “ _ Enjoyed _ is undercutting it a bit.”

* * *

Physical touch. Not a problem. Brienne couldn’t stop touching Jaime as they lay together. She hadn’t really had that much of a chance during the scene after all, and it was different touching him just because she could and he liked it rather than because it was an inevitable part of sex. He touched her, too. Delighted fingers floating down the curve of two long spines, the brief caress of ticklish spots which made them both squirm closer together rather than apart, the brush of palms against muscle as Brienne marveled at the physicality of him. She thought maybe he was marveling at the physicality of her, too, the way he ran his hands over her shoulders and thighs, but that was nonsense. He was practically a god and she was just Brienne. 

Kisses. So many cuddles and kisses. It was almost like he was trying to kiss every freckle on her skin and she wanted to simply taste every inch of him. 

Telling Jaime to be quiet never crossed her mind. What a silly concept even. The soothing lilt of his voice as they chatted about their scene, the sword in his spare bedroom, about everything and nothing lulled her into a state of bliss. She loved his voice, had loved the sound of it from the moment she had first heard it. 

She told him that next time he could use better restraints on her, something she wouldn’t be able to get out of herself without some effort and he told her that he would love for her to dig her nails into his back as long as she didn’t purposefully try to break and scar his skin.

Half an hour of aftercare? What a joke. Brienne was pretty sure that they laid cuddling in his bed for a full two hours before both of their stomachs protested loudly and they stumbled out of the bedroom while half heartedly dragging their clothes on to open the door for the delivery man. If hunger hadn’t interrupted, Brienne would have been okay with just laying there with him until they both fell asleep. How positively  _ silly _ of her. 

* * *

“Did you have other plans for the evening?” Jaime asked as they sat together on his couch downstairs for one final cuddle while waiting for the cab to arrive to take her home, “I’m sorry if I kept you from them.”

Brienne’s eyebrows furrowed as she pressed her thigh against his, “I didn’t make any plans, Jaime. Did you?”

“No, no, of course I didn’t,” Jaime hurriedly said and grasped her hand, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply—“

“I’m never going to make any other plans if I already know I’m going to be with you,” Brienne murmured and squeezed his hand back, “I believe you when you say I need to make sure the rest of the day is cleared.”

Jaime ran a hand through his hair and smiled at her, “Yes, of course. Thank you, Brienne.”

Brienne tilted her head slightly, still confused at his behaviour, but that was when her phone chimed with the arrival of her cab. “I got to go,” Brienne whispered forlornly as she stood up. 

Jaime followed her movement, his hand still holding hers. They walked to the front door together and Jaime smiled at her. “I enjoyed tonight.”

“I did too.”

“I’ll text you?”

Brienne laughed, “Okay.”

Jaime eyes flickered to her lips, but then away again. They were far removed from their scene now. No more kissing, although it seemed they had fully broken the barrier of touching. “Have a nice night.”

“It’s basically just bed for me now,” Brienne giggled, “I hope you have a nice night, too.”

“Bed for me as well,” Jaime grinned lasciviously, “Though—“

“Oh, shush,” Brienne murmured and squeezed his hand again. 

Jaime laughed. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

“Sweet dreams?”

“My cab is going to leave, Jaime,” Brienne teased, but then leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I’ll text you.”

Jaime grinned and opened his door. Brienne sprung outside before they could further get trapped in a bout of good nights and waved to him as he watched her get into the cab. 

The moment the cab turned the corner and Jaime went out of sight, Brienne pulled out her phone to text him, but before her fingers could hit the first key, a message arrived.

_ The Idiot: I said I would first _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: You’re ridiculous _

_ The Idiot: That was a mightily fast reply _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I can’t hear you! _

_ The Idiot: You don’t hear texts! _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: WHOMP WHOMP _

__

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Almost home _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’m not dead _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Though there was a moment _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: OH MY GODS _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: HOW WAS IT??? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Was it amazing???? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Please tell me he was better than Hyle? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Did he make you scream? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Yes _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: :o _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: I _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: AM  _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: SCREAMING _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: !!!!!!!! _

__

_ The Idiot: You make it home okay? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Yes, I did _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Thank you _

_ The Idiot: Always polite, Brienne Arwyn Tarth _

__

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Give me them dirty deets _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Was he good???? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: How BIG was his Oathkeeper? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: 8==D??? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Or _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: 8======D???? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: THICC??? _

__

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I am NOT going to tell you how “thicc” his Oathkeeper is _

_ The Idiot: I hope you’re not talking about my replica sword _

__

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: NOOOOOOOO _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: ??? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: MARGAERY _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: END ME NOW _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: LET ME NEVER WAKE UP _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: That good huh? _

__

_ The Idiot: Brienne? _

_ The Idiot: Wanna see how big my Oathkeeper is again soon? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: … _

_ The Idiot: Hmmmmmmmm? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’m free Wednesday night? _

_ The Idiot: Oh _

_ The Idiot: Hump day _

_ The Idiot: ;) _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:
> 
> “Bed for me as well,” Jaime grinned lasciviously. <\- Soooo, she's going to sleep. And he's going to sleep. Why don't they save a bed the same way two might save water by showering together?
> 
> Thank you to neverwithaknight for suggesting I put up some visual references for you all:  
> 


	9. Little Black Dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing. This week we're doing beta comment of the week a little differently because this was just priceless and the second one is going to make no sense what so ever.
> 
> LewisPanda: Describe Ch9 in Two Photos
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/182837164@N08/49771042793/in/dateposted/)  
>  [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/182837164@N08/49771061028/in/dateposted/)

Brienne sighed as she looked into her mirror. Making a quarter turn, she stared at her practically bare butt, then sighed again. She picked up her phone.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Are you sure it isn’t too much? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: If Jaime doesn’t drool the moment he sees you in that _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Get another partner _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Because the man obviously has no taste :D _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Margaery, I’m being serious… _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: SO AM I!!!! _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: IF YOU WORE A PAIR OF STILETTOS AND STEPPED ON HIM _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: THE MAN WOULD BE DONE BEFORE HE EVEN STARTED _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: I know I would be <3 _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Margaery… _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Tell that asshole voice in your head to shut the fuck up _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: And go get tied up by your demi-god _

Brienne blushed a bright red as she switched to her text conversation with Jaime and the picture he had sent her earlier that day of what  _ could _ be an innocuous bundle of blue rope.

That man really knew how to kill her productivity. 

Well no, that wasn’t quite right. In an effort  _ not _ to think about her night’s planned activities, Brienne had actually focused harder, getting more done rather than less. The Reed account was only days away from the beginning of construction and she was completely set and ready.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Have you eaten? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Do you want me to pick something up on my way there? _

_ The Idiot: I was just going to text you _

_ The Idiot: I thought I would cook for us both tonight _

_ The Idiot: If you hadn’t eaten _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: That sounds like a lot of effort _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: To prove a point _

_ The Idiot: Not at all _

_ The Idiot: Especially to prove a point _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Okay then, should I swing by earlier than 7, then? _

_ The Idiot: 6? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Okay, I’ll leave now _

_ The Idiot: See you in a bit _

Brienne dropped her phone on her bed and looked into the mirror again, letting out another long sigh while tilting her head. If she had chosen the lingerie she was wearing by herself she would have probably been even more hesitant. But Margaery and Sansa had gone shopping with her once she had told them of her predicament and their rain of praises on how the ensemble  _ worked _ for her still hovered in her mind. 

Taking a deep breath, Brienne picked up the dress Margaery had thrown at her in one of the stores - after having found out that she had worn a camisole and jeans to her first scene - and scrutinized it again. It was simple and nice. Brienne pulled the piece over her head and looked into the mirror again. The dress was black, tight, but with a modest neckline and long sleeves. If only it wasn’t made for someone obviously shorter than her. Brienne pulled at the hem that maybe only reached six inches below the curve of her ass, barely mid-thigh. But Margaery had told her that she had  _ known _ the dress would look amazing on her and Sansa had just blinked owlishly when she had come out of the change room, so Brienne had bought it and she would wear it because she did quite like it. 

At least that dress didn’t feel like  _ too _ much.

Or at least that was what she had thought until Jaime had opened his front door and his jaw had nearly hit the floor. “Fuck.” One of his hands went to rub down his face and then cup his chin, covering his mouth as he stepped to the side to let her in while staring at the ceiling. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“Uh… hi?” Brienne said as she stepped over the threshold. She tried to ignore the fact that they were almost matching. The black shirt he was wearing did something marvelous for his arms.

Jaime’s hand was still partially covering his mouth when his eyes beheld her form, “Woman, are you trying to kill me?”

Brienne looked down at herself, then back up at him, “What? What’s wrong with it?” Brienne nervously tugged at the hem of her dress. “Is it too much? I thought it was fine.”

“ _ Fine? _ ” Jaime questioned incredulously, staring at her face, “Nothing about that is  _ fine _ .”

Brienne's face fell, “Oh… I’m sor—“

“We’re going to have to leave dinner for later because… by the Seven,  _ fuck, _ ” Jaime muttered, shifting from foot to foot as he bit his bottom lip and his eyes lingered on her legs, “Ah… but then you’ll be back in that for dinner, or I could - let’s not think about that either. I don’t think my body will be able to go twice in such short succession. Ah, I could definitely do twice, but then the problem would still be there and thrice is cutting it.” He ran his hand through his hair, poofing it up, and half turned away from her, “I should just suffer for an hour.”

“Jaime?” Brienne asked bewildered at his rambling, “What are you talking about?”

Jaime looked at her from the corner of his eye and his lip quirked at her expression, “Brienne,” he said slowly, as though spelling out the obvious, “Blood has never rushed out of my brain and down south so fast.”

Brienne eyes flickered down and she flushed hot red. “Oh!” she squeaked.

“Oh,” Jaime laughed. “You don’t even know what you can do to a man.”

Brienne bit down hard on her bottom lip, but she didn’t manage to silence her automatic reaction quick enough, “I usually disappoint.” 

Jaime snapped his head towards her to stare at her as though she were some absurd alien speaking another language, “Maybe we  _ should _ skip dinner and I’ll fuck you thrice if you think that’s how I’d ever feel about you. Screw that fucking thought right out of your head.”

Brienne shook her head rapidly as his near apocalyptic glare, “Dinner first!”

Jaime’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration, “Only if you promise not to think like that.”

“I can’t.”

“Brienne—“

“But I’ll try,” Brienne muttered, somehow mollified by his anger. His anger not at her, but at the reasons why she felt the way she did about herself. A warmth that usually only appeared when she spoke to Margaery, Sansa and her family, bloomed in her chest.

Jaime’s eyes softened and sparkled as he reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, “Good. Now give me a second to readjust and we’ll have dinner.”

“Jaime!”

He chuckled and led her to his kitchen, “I threw together a salad and grilled some chicken. Let’s try to eat fast.”

* * *

“You know, wench,” Jaime murmured, his voice thick and languid, as he circled around her in his bedroom, his eyes appraising, “A part of me is really just considering keeping that dress on you all evening. You know how I love a challenge.”

Brienne shivered as he stepped in front of her. The Jaime now and the Jaime she had dinner with were one and the same, but also,  _ gods _ , they were just so different. Both of them were insufferable in a pleasing sort of way, made her heart beat fast while giving her an inexorable sense of peace, but this Jaime -  _ this _ Jaime made her want to fall apart so that  _ he _ could put her back together again. It was everything and yet nothing like what she thought submission would be like. 

His hands darted behind her, slipped under the hem of her dress and cupped her backside, tugging her front against the sturdy planes of him; his erection, trapped still in his trousers was hard at the juncture of her thighs. Brienne gasped as her hands flew up to paw at his already exposed chest. “But a much larger part of me wants you bared before me,” he growled. The soft fabric of her dress bunched around his wrists as he slid his hands slowly up her back and over her shoulders, divesting her of the little black number. His eyes flickered down and then he did a double take as suddenly his whole dom demeanor broke and he let out a breathy, “Wow.”

Brienne fidgeted nervously before she blurted, “Do you like it?”

He looked up at her, his mouth once again gaping, “Brienne, holy shit. You  _ are _ trying to kill me.”

The lingerie she had purchased for the evening, after her faux pas on Sunday, was unlike anything she had ever owned before. It was dark blue, strappy, thin, and lacy, decorative rather than functional over her breasts and hips. “So you do like it?”

Jaime’s soft eyes regarded her, then something seemed to click, “This is why you suddenly looked so devastated last time.”

Brienne chewed on her bottom lip. She hadn’t thought she looked  _ devastated _ , but she nodded anyways.

Jaime’s hands were gentle as he slid them open palmed up and down her back comfortingly, “Don’t get me wrong. You look fucking amazing right now, and if you like wearing things like this, I will do the exact opposite of complain. But I also don’t mind if you wear whatever else makes you comfortable as well. I loved that, too.”

Brienne blinked, “Really?”

Jaime smiled, “Really. Trust what I’m telling you.”

She took in a deep breath and quickly hugged him around the neck before she pulled back to the position she had been in before, “I do.”

“Good,” Jaime grinned. Then just as suddenly as before, his demeanor shifted again. “Now, let’s get back to properly admiring you,” He leaned in to lick the column of her neck, right over her pounding pulse, “Wench.”

Brienne sighed, “Jaime…”

One of his hands went to cup the slight under curve of her left breast, palming her flesh as she closed her eyes to better focus on the sensation. His palm moved over the slight swell and squeezed gently. “Do you hear yourself, Brienne?” Jaime whispered into her ear, “Those sounds you’re making as I touch you?” She let out another pleased sigh as his fingers swept over her nipple and danced up along the lacy hem of her bra cup. She hadn’t realized that she had been making any sound at all, but when she opened her eyes just slightly to look at his face, a pleased smirk told her exactly how much Jaime knew he was pleasuring her right then. She could feel his other hand spreading wide on her upper back and her eyes fluttered completely closed again to just  _ feel _ the warmth of him encompassing her. She loved that feeling of him in front and behind her. 

Then, quickly and all at once, her upper body was pushed back into a dip, stabilized by his hand on her back, her bra cup was tugged down and her nipple was pulled into Jaime’s mouth. Her eyes snapped open in surprise as a loud moan ripped out of her throat at his gentle sucking. His teeth scraped over the sensitive flesh and his tongue lapped to sooth the sensation, driving her mad with want as he repeated the movement after her positive reception. With a wet pop of lips against skin and a teasing laugh, Jaime switched to her other breast, pulling down the other bra cup and taking her nipple into his warm, talented mouth. Her hands flew up to cup the back of his head and run her fingers through his hair. She resisted the urge to pull him in closer to her and smother him.

In the next moment, she was tugged back up straight again, Jaime’s lips sealed over hers and his tongue caressing the inside of her mouth. Brienne melted into his kiss and curled her fingers through his belt loops. Her tongue came out to play with his and they swirled around each other, licking lips and teeth. “As sexy as you look in this, it does get in the way of what I have planned for you,” Jaime growled against her mouth as he continued to devour her. His fingers played with the clasp of her bra and with a scrape he undid it. He then stepped away, leaving her feeling dazed as his warmth disappeared. He reached out and the tips of his fingers pulled the straps of her bra down her arms and the garment landed with a swish on the floor.

“Jaime?” she murmured and searched for that all encompassing warmth of him again. One hand automatically went to cover her breasts. His hand cupped her cheek and he pressed a kiss to her opposite jaw bone, his other hand grabbing her forearm and bringing it down to her side so that she couldn’t hide any part of herself away from him.

“Don’t fret, and certainly don’t hide, sweetling,” Jaime murmured and then nibbled on her earlobe, “I’m just going to grab one of those pretty packages you saw on the bed when you came in. You remember, don’t you, Brienne?”

“Yes.” Of course she remembered. Not just from the bundles that had lain on his bed once she had entered either. That damn fucking  _ image _ he had sent her earlier that day had never left her mind, no matter how dazed she was. Brienne didn’t know if he had bought different bundles or if he had gotten his dyed since their time at the museum, but the hemp on his bed was now a deep shade of dark blue. The picture he had sent her had indeed been of their own rope.

“Don’t turn around now,” Jaime purred as he stepped behind her to retrieve one of the bundles. They had looked quite pretty sitting there innocuously on his sheets. “I’m glad you’re being so good about doing what you’re told,” Jaime said as the warmth of his chest pressed up against her back and he tilted her chin so that he could kiss her again. 

“It was only once,” Brienne pouted and reached back to try and wrap her arms around his neck.

Jaime nuzzled the crook of her own neck, “True,” he murmured. She could feel his lips curl against her skin, “You must love how I touch you, don’t you wench? I told you it would be what you want.” Brienne huffed a bit and Jaime chuckled in response. “Now, Brienne, I’d like you just to lift your arms a little and just focus on every little sensation.”

“Okay.” Brienne took a deep breath, lifted her arms, then closed her eyes. She felt the warmth of his arms and the rough rope encircle her from behind to wrap just under her chest. She felt Jaime pull the rope around her torso, tight, but not uncomfortably so, taking care not to pull too quickly so that the tails of the rope would not whip against her pale, freckled skin. She felt him place the rope over her shoulder and felt him move in front of her to tuck it under the first strand right in between her breasts, crossing the rope over itself, before he brought the rope back over her other shoulder. “Are you putting a chest harness on me… sir?” Brienne asked, opening her eyes.

He kissed her swiftly while he looped the rope back over her shoulder again, reversing the tension at the junction forming against her spine to, this time, wrap it above one of her breasts. He looked up to meet her eyes, a quirk of satisfaction on his lips. “I am. And I was right. The blue does become you, Brienne.”

She felt herself blush as Jaime circled behind her again to once more reverse the tension of the rope and put it over her other shoulder so that it would be able to go over her other breast. The junction of rope at her spine was slowly forming into a solid, bulbous knot that she could feel pressing against her skin. “Well, that’s good since it seems you bought everything in blue,” Brienne murmured teasingly.

Jaime chuckled and breathed into her ear as he wrapped the rope around her again, this time above her breasts, “At the moment, Brienne, blue is my favourite colour,” He nipped her ear, “Well, second to  _ green _ .”

Brienne sighed and hummed, “Green.”

Jaime tied off the chest harness, then took both of her shoulders in his hands, guiding her to turn towards him as he surveyed his work. He grinned in delight as he guided her over to the mirror in the corner of his room by his closet. “What do you think, sweetling?”

Brienne blinked owlishly as she stared at herself. He had put a star harness onto her, and in truth… the blue did make her eyes pop. “It’s…” She didn’t think the word could apply to rope bondage, but it  _ did _ , “Pretty.”

He stepped in front of her to trace the star shape with the tips of his fingers, his other hand spread over her hip. “Tarth,” he grinned.

Brienne startled, then smacked him lightly on the shoulders with both of her hands, “You nerd!” Brienne accused, the warmth and lightness in her only blooming more and more as Jaime’s grin grew.

He laughed delightedly as he grabbed her wrists and kissed her fiercely, “That’s not what you’re meant to be calling me, wench,” He bit her bottom lip and Brienne groaned.

“You nerd, sir!”

“The knightly kind, I hope,” he chuckled and stepped away from her flapping palms.

“Oh, stop it!”

Jaime bit his bottom lip, trying to hold back his delighted snicker. “You see, Brienne, chest harnesses are great, because I can very easily do this.” One of his hands let go of her wrist and shot to the loop in between her breasts, and with a pull and a bit of a stumble, he had her falling against him as their lips collided again. Using the chest harness he dragged her back to his bed, ravishing her all the while, and pushed her onto the mattress. “I want to fuck you so bad right now. Be back inside of you,” he growled into her ear as his thumb hooked the sides of her panties and slowly dragged them down her legs. She watched him fling them to the corner of his room, her entire body igniting on fire at the way he was looking down at her. He ran his palms from the curve of her ass, down one of her hamstrings, up her calf, and wrapped his hand around her ankle. Jaime smirked at her and moved to almost,  _ almost _ , place her ankle against his shoulder, putting his hips right where she wanted him. However, his hand let her foot drop instead, and he commanded, “Against the headboard.”

Brienne’s breath had picked up at his manhandling of her, and she scrambled to sit back so that he would get on top of her  _ right now _ , but then realized that his weight hadn’t joined her on the bed. Instead, he was pulling a chair from the corner of his room to the end of the bed, facing the headboard. “What are you doing?” she asked as she shifted to move back towards him. Why the hell was he so far away? Did he want her to climb on top of him? Because she  _ would _ climb on top of him and ride him all night long if he wanted… demanded it. It was  _ hump _ day, damn it!

Jaime grinned, “Stay put Brienne, or do I need to tie you to the headboard?”

Something on her face must have given her urge to jump him anyway, for Jaime abandoned his chair and came prowling back towards her. He reached behind her to grab the tails of the rope that he hadn’t yet tucked in and pulled on her harness until she was against the headboard. He looped the tails around one of the metal posts and secured her to his bed, this time tucking the tails in neatly where she couldn’t undo them. “You…” Brienne looked up at him in disbelief, “You knew that I wasn’t going to stay put! You never tucked in the tails and finished the harness off!”

Jaime grabbed her chin and kissed the corner of her lip with a smirk on his face, “Let’s just say, Brienne, that I didn’t believe, for even a second, that your misbehaving would be limited to only that one time.” Brienne sputtered at him in indignation, but Jaime simply grinned at her. “Tell me your favourite colour, wench.”

She reached out and caressed his chest, “Green.”

“Excellent,” he murmured and kissed her temple. Brienne gaped at him as he then delightedly walked back to the foot of the bed and sat down in his chair, happy as could be. “What are you planning, Jaime?” Brienne huffed as she curled her legs beneath her.

“Well,” Jaime began and Brienne’s eyes caught the movement of his hands towards the button of his trousers. He undid them, then slowly slid down the zipper in a strip tease that was utterly insufferable. Brienne swallowed hard as Jaime pulled out his unbearably hard cock from his boxer briefs, where he then slowly began to stroke himself. Oh gods…  _ this _ was what he had looked like in his office when they had, had phone sex. Her imagination had done that sight none of the justice it deserved. “I was hoping you would spread your legs and give me a show, wench.”

Her gaze snapped up to his face. His eyes were a smoldering, dark  _ green _ , “You want me to what?”

Jaime rolled his shoulders back, thrusting his hips up and forward, toward her, “I want you to touch yourself for me, Brienne. I want to watch you pleasure yourself.”

Brienne opened and closed her mouth.

Jaime’s eyes sparkled with wickedness as his tongue darted out to lick his lips, “The better of a show you give me, the harder I’ll fuck you. Do you want me to fuck you until you’re screaming again? I know you do.”

Brienne whimpered as her eyes trailed down to where Jaime was still languidly stroking his cock as though he didn’t have a single care in the world. Only the tension of his other hand on the armrest really gave him away. He wanted to fuck her as much as she wanted him to fuck her. Even if she didn’t remember the play by play of their first scene -  _ she did _ \- her body definitely remembered. She could feel herself growing more and more wet between her pressed together thighs. “I’ve never…” Brienne started, her voice strangling on the act, “No one has ever…”

“ _ I _ want to see you,” Jaime emphasized, his hand tightening around his cock ever so slightly. Brienne watched in fascination and a thought suddenly came to her mind that she wanted to  _ taste _ it. Taste  _ him _ . She pulled her top lip between her teeth, then ran her tongue over it as she stared at his throbbing cock. Jaime grunted, “Gods, I want to see it.”

Brienne met his eyes, and although his posture was still domineering and his words were commands rather than requests, the look he gave her was soft with hopeful anticipation. She let out a breath of air and shifted her legs out from under her, feeling the ropes of her chest harness rub against her skin as she moved, and spread them slowly so that Jaime would be able to see her. 

He let out a sigh as though he had been holding his breath. Her vulva, wet and glossy, was revealed to him and her fingers slowly slid down her stomach and over her mound, through her neatly groomed hair. Brienne bit her lips as she watched him, watched his every reaction to her movements. She was expecting him to recoil any time now, but when he didn’t, when it almost seemed like her slow progress was paining him, Brienne let her inhibitions go.

She parted her seam with two fingers of one hand and slid the fingers of her other hand over the slick skin around her opening to collect some of her arousal on her fingers. The ropes lightly abraded the skin of her under arms. “Is this what you want me to do… sir?”

The nod of Jaime’s head was a little bit too vigorous to support the calm and collected persona he was trying to project, but that only made her feel better about what she was doing, her confidence in her actions growing. She brought two fingers up over her clit and started to circle the engorged nub lightly and in large circles. Immediately a moan sprang from her lips and she watched as Jaime reacted to her pleasure by pumping his fist hard and fast over the solid length of himself. 

Gods, was his cock already weeping?

Brienne played with herself the way she enjoyed, the experience only enhanced by the fact that every time her eyes fluttered closed then open, Jaime would be right there in front of her, his eyes wide and dark as he took in every single one of her movements. “Fuck, wench, look at how wet you are,” he growled, “I could lap at you for days. I still remember the taste of you on my tongue. It’s not something I would soon forget.”

That only got her wetter and she shuddered. Jaime seemed pleased at her body’s reaction to his words. “Jaime,” she would plead, every so often, trying to tempt him into fucking her instead of playing this game he had created. Usually masturbation would mean satisfaction for her, but this was just plain torturous teasing. 

“Fuck yourself with your fingers,” Jaime demanded, then asked, “Do you need lube?”

Brienne shook her head and quickly worked two fingers into herself. 

“You like it hard and fast, don’t you, wench?” Jaime grinned as she continued to furiously plunge her fingers into her core to the second knuckle, feeling the muscles clench desperately around her, seeking something else. Something that would fill her and stretch her and move in ways she couldn’t predict. Brienne’s eyes flickered to Jaime’s cock as a drop of pre-cum slid down the taut, flushed skin before being engulfed by his still slowly pumping hand. He looked like he was struggling to keep himself from furiously coming to the sight in front of him as his fingers would every so often pause and squeeze at the base of his shaft. “How would you like it if I fucked you shallow and slow, for hours and hours?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

A shudder ran down her whole body as the dam in her burst and pleasure swept out from her belly.

“Fuck! We’ll just have to find out another day,” Jaime growled, suddenly desperate, as he stood up quickly, the legs of the chair screeching against the floor as it was pushed back. He pulled off his trousers and boxer briefs, then she heard foil rip in her post orgasmic haze and a bottle of lube open and close _. He had kept it on hand in case she had wanted it _ . Suddenly, the weight on the mattress shifted. The rope securing her to his headboard was undone, she was dragged by her chest harness to lie down on the mattress, and pillows were placed under her shoulders and lower back so that the knot of her harness wouldn’t dig too badly into her spine.

She felt the tip of his cock slide teasingly over her clit and between her folds, but only once, before he was suddenly filling her to the hilt. She screamed in pleasure as her legs flew up to wrap around his waist and her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Jaime growled obscenities into her ear as his hips ground her into his mattress and she clawed at his back in pleasure as her own back arched and the knot of the harness ceased to bother her at all. She completely forgot her need to be quiet before she could even remember it.

His right hand dipped between them to rub at her clit, touch it the way that she had just been pleasuring herself before, and in her cloudy state of mind she realized that Jaime had used their mutual masturbation as an opportunity to study what she liked. As much as being fucked into the mattress made her want to come, knowing that he cared about how to pleasure her was what sent her right over the edge again and Jaime roared as his hips slammed into her a couple more times before he held onto her tight and she could feel his cock twitching inside of her. 

A few moments after she came down from her high, Jaime rolled off of her to dispose of the condom. He then rolled right back towards her, lifting her so that he could cradle her between his thighs. Her back was pressed to his chest again as he undid the harness while peppering kisses all over her shoulders.

Unlike the first time, she wasn’t in so much of an orgasmic daze that she couldn’t return the favour and so she took one of his hands to kiss the palm and knuckles of, switching every so often as he unwound the rope from around her. The hemp fell down around them and when the harness was completely off, Brienne turned around to kiss him on the lips, the nose, the forehead, the cheeks, the jaw, before burying her face into the crook of his neck and laughing delightedly. “Oh Gods, that was so scary,” she murmured and nuzzled him.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice full of concern as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. “You put mutual masturbation as a 4 on your list, I would never—“

“I’m fantastic,” she replied and hugged him back, “I’ve just never… no one has ever… I mean I’ve wanted to, but no one has…”

Jaime frowned, “You said-”

“But that was,” Brienne took in a deep breath, “That wasn’t so scary with you.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure!”

“You’re sure, completely sure?” he asked her again.

“Jaime!”

Jaime winced, “Sorry, I’ll shut up.”

“No, no, no,” Brienne admonished as she drew back and peppered kisses on his face, “Don’t do that. Please. Talk to me. I told you I don’t want you to shut up.”

“I’m sorry for being annoying, then,” Jaime murmured as he leaned into her affection.

Brienne shook her head and stroked his hair, “How can you making sure I’m okay be annoying? It’s great. You care. That’s wonderful,” But then a realization dawned on Brienne, “Oh Gods. I’ve been horrible. I didn’t ask. Are you okay?” Jaime just blinked owlishly at her as she stroked his cheek. At his lack of reply her eyebrows pulled together in concern. “Jaime?”

In lieu of a reply, he pulled her close and tumbled down into a lying position with her head cradled under his chin, his toes tickling her shins, “I’m great, Brienne. I’m great.”

Brienne ran her fingers up and down his side, “Do you need anything? Water?”

Jaime chuckled, “Didn’t I say something like that last time?” His voice sounded oddly heavy and even a bit wet but when Brienne wiggled up to see his face, his eyes were simply sparkling in amusement.

“You did,” Brienne laughed, “I don’t even know where the water bottle you hide is, but I could get one from your little bar area.” Jaime simply chuckled as he rolled away from her, his one arm still wrapped around her waist, to reach under his bed and pull out a little cooler. When he popped the lid open there were two glass bottles inside filled with water, surrounded by ice packs. “Fancy,” she commented.

He pulled one bottle out of the cooler and held it out to her. “Only the best for my sub partner person.”

Brienne collapsed onto his chest, laughing as she took the offered bottle of water and took a drink. 

“But seriously, that was okay?”

Brienne looked up at him, or at the bottom of his chin more like, and smiled, “Jaime…” she murmured and rubbed circles onto his chest, playing with the hair there, “I’ve never felt as safe as when I am with you.”

Jaime went silent for a moment, but when he finally made a sound, it was wet and heavy again. But when Brienne lifted herself up on her elbow to examine his face, there was nothing there other than pure contentment and sense of positive elation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta Conversation of the Week:
> 
> “The knightly kind, I hope,” he chuckled and stepped away from her flapping palms.
> 
> LewisPanda --> Later it says he was still holding onto her wrist (at least one) - so, did he let them flap at his body but still held them?  
> LewisPanda --> Considering he later reached out to pull her by the harness on her chest, he must have not gone far. Which means she could still swap his shoulder/chest.  
> EryiScrye --> So he was still holding on to them but stepped far enough away that if her wrists were still held where her body was, that she couldn't reach him. Like dino arms xD


	10. Push and Pull

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to lewispanda for betaing. I mean really, thank you. When I pitched this story to her I was like, IT'S GONNA BE 50k MAAAXXXXXXX. MAXXXXXX. Well... if you look at the word count... we're at 50k now... and I haven't even gotten half way through the outline as it is yet xD AND THE OUTLINE HAS A RATE OF GROWTH. So we'll see where this ends up. So thank you! You totally called me out the day I pitched it to you and still I was like (80k) MAAAAXXXX and... well... I was very wrong 😂

Not for the first time, Brienne wondered how she had gotten herself into this situation. _Margaery_. The answer to that question was almost always Margaery, but if she was being honest… this time it was all her.

Well…

Her and Jaime.

Brienne let out a guttural moan as Jaime’s thumb ran hard over her clit, spreading her near dripping arousal over her sensitive bud. He grinned down at her as one of his hands twirled a slim and small butt plug with a bullet vibrator attachment. It was shiny with lube and pulsing gently. 

Jaime leaned forward, brushed the tip of his nose up her neck to her ear and murmured, “I’m still waiting for you to beg for it, wench.”

Brienne grunted in frustration as she tried to launch herself at him, get his cock - already coated in her cum - back in her, but he was remaining just far enough away that she couldn’t get him inside her. However, his whole bed rocked with her efforts. Maddeningly, the length of his shaft was rubbing teasingly against her opening, the tip so close to pushing inside her that she wanted to scream. She _would_ scream, yell his name and curse him out, but she knew the moment words poured out of her mouth she would beg him to be back inside of her and she couldn’t, _wouldn’t_ , give him that satisfaction… yet.

Immediately after they had begun their scene, Jaime had pushed her onto his bed and had quickly fucked her to a mind-blowing, limb noodling orgasm using every tip and trick that she had so naively shown him over the past couple of scenes. Then the idiot bastard had enjoyed tying her ankles - spread as far apart as they could stretch - to his bedframe behind her head, while she had been in a state of pliant euphoria – _she never should have told him just how good she was at yoga, fuck, they were almost at the two opposite bed posts –_ and her wrists had been secured along with them. She was left completely open to him and helpless to try and control what he could do to her… well except with her words… and well…

Well… she didn’t want to _stop_ it either.

And she _definitely_ didn’t want him to slow down.

Fuckity, fuck. 

Jaime grinned down at her, amused at her struggle to keep quiet and fight her way to wrapping herself around him again. He brought the vibrating butt plug to the tight ring of muscle. The sensation against her rim had her arching her back and chomping down on her bottom lip as a scream nearly escaped her. “Gods, Brienne, that sound you make when I almost get you screaming is almost better than when I _do_ get you screaming,” Jaime purred and licked one of her nipples.

Brienne took in deep, gasping breaths as pleasure rocketed through her, not quite an orgasm, but definitely not too far off. 

“How are you doing, sweetling?” Jaime asked and kissed her temple sweetly as though he wasn’t torturing the ever living fuck out of her. 

“I swear, Jaime, if you don’t—“ Brienne didn’t get to finish her sentence as Jaime worked the slick butt plug into her while furiously massaging her clit so that she wasn’t clenching down while the toy entered her. Although there was pressure, she didn’t feel any pain. They had agreed that when it came to anal play, she would start with small toys, slowly working up to bigger ones before they would even attempt anal sex, but she had still worried that it would hurt. It didn’t. It didn’t at all. “ _Oh Seven Holy Gods!”_ It opposite of hurt, really. The new sensation was mind blowing.

Jaime pushed a sweaty lock of hair out of her face, “You okay?” his voice was both domineering and sincere as he gazed softly at her, his thumb running over her cheekbone.

Brienne gave up the game. She wouldn’t be winning this for a while. But mark her words, when she finally got into a position to win, she was going to win by a long shot. “Please, Jaime,” Brienne panted as her chest heaved at the sensations that were racing through her, “Please, sir. Please... again. As hard as you can, Jaime.”

He smiled down at her and wrapped one arm around her, having to slide it between her torso and her thigh. The other hand guided his cock back into her, the stretch and the feeling of being filled front and back almost overwhelming, before that hand joined her ankles and wrists on the bed frame, using it as leverage to thrust with a snap of his hips deeply into her. 

It didn’t take much to send her over the edge, and Jaime rode out her orgasm with hard movements of his hips, gripping her waist tighter and tighter as she constricted around him. By the time Jaime was also coming, his face was buried in the crook of her neck and their chests were pressed up against each other, making it seem as though they were one.

Brienne blinked the stars out of her eyes before she whimpered, “Can you please turn off the vibration?”

Jaime scrambled off of her and held down the button on the attached bullet until the butt plug stopped vibrating. “Better? Do you want me to take it out as well?” Brienne nodded and Jaime gently worked the plug out of her and discarded it in a small bin to the side meant for things that needed to be washed. 

Brienne groaned, tossed her head back and sucked in a deep breath. “Better.”

Jaime disposed of his condom lightning quick and then was working on the ties to her ankles. Brienne flexed her foot as she brought the first one down to the mattress. “How are your hips?” Jaime asked as he undid her other ankle and kissed the inside of her foot before he gently guided it down to join her other leg. He then immediately worked on releasing her wrists.

Brienne shifted around a bit, still in a bit of a euphoric daze, “They feel okay, slightly stressed, but just as much as after a good stretch.” Once both of her wrists were released and she flexed them to take in the difference in sensations, a shiver ran down her body. She looked up at Jaime and blinked slowly, “Jaime, I’m feeling co—”

Jaime immediately threw his blanket over her and took her into the circle of his arms. He rubbed his hands up and down her hips, creating warmth through friction, and kissed her gently on the nose. “Have as much of my warmth as you need,” Jaime murmured soothingly into her ear.

Brienne nodded and snuggled into his chest, wrapping her own arms tightly around him. In a moment, she knew - when Jaime _felt_ and she agreed that she was feeling a bit more grounded - he would pull away to pour her a cup of hot honey lemon water from a thermos he kept under the bed. They had discovered a scene or two ago that cold water wasn’t the way for her and so had adjusted the aftercare routine. “Tell me… the tale of… the wolf and the fish.”

Jaime scrunched his nose, “I still can’t believe you like that historical fairy tale.”

“It’s a romance, they built their love stone by stone.”

“The wolf is very judgy.”

“You’re being very judgy.” 

Jaime tapped her on the nose, “Okay fine, I’ll tell you the tale of the judgy wolf and the scary fish.”

Brienne huffed in laughter, “She’s not scary, she’s regal.”

“Terrifying.”

“Wimp.”

“It’s a long story, though. Do you really want me to talk that much?” Jaime’s hands moved to rub the back of her neck and her nails gently scratched his chest. “Are you sure you don’t have anywhere else you need to be tonight?”

Brienne popped her head up to glare at Jaime, “I’m here, which means I’m here and I’m here for you.”

Jaime bit his bottom lip and then nodded. He began to murmur against her forehead, “Alright then, so once there was this fiery tempered, red fish…”

* * *

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: What do you think…_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: About not using…_

_The Idiot: Using?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Give me a second_

_The Idiot: Uh huh_

_The Idiot: You can do it_

_The Idiot: I believe in you_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Shut up_

_The Idiot: Ah… you told me you never mean it_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Darn it!_

_The Idiot: You have exposed your soft underbelly_

_The Idiot: To the lion_

_The Idiot: Rawr_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: You’re a dork_

_The Idiot: So… not using what?_

Brienne sucked in a breath and then typed as fast as she could and hit the send button before she could regret it.

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Commodores_

Jaime didn’t immediately reply.

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’m not writing it again, you know_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I can see that you’ve read the message_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: JUST TELL ME IF YOU WANT TO KEEP USING THEM_

_The Idiot: You don’t want us to use… commodores?_

_The Idiot: I didn’t realize that you had a boat here in KL_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I hate you_

_The Idiot: How do you feel about not using condoms though_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Don’t even pretend you initiated this conversation_

_The Idiot: But you were talking about commodores_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Go back to work_

_The Idiot: :P_

“Ms. Tarth?”

Her phone slipped out of her hand and Brienne scrambled to catch it, her fingers wrapping around the edges right before it smacked against her wooden desk. She looked up with glowing, red cheeks as Podrick smiled at her sheepishly. “Sorry about that, Podrick. You caught me by surprise.”

“Sorry for scaring you, Ms. Tarth. I didn’t mean to. I tried knocking, but you were very focused on your phone,” Podrick murmured and shifted from foot to foot nervously.

Brienne set her phone down more calmly than she felt, “Is Renly here, then?”

“Yes, Ms. Tarth.”

“He’s ten minutes early.”

“Do you want me to ask him to wait or come back? I know it’s still your lunch break…”

“No, no. I prefer my clients to be early than late anyways, good to encourage such behaviour. Please send him in.”

Podrick nodded and backed out of the office door to go and retrieve Renly. 

Brienne rubbed her forehead and let out a long breath. She hadn’t realized how deeply engaged she had been in her conversation with Jaime. How silly of her.

She reached for her phone one last time and saw that she had one notification.

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: augrhngajfhea_

_The Idiot: The sound you make when I use my tongue?_

Brienne’s face lit on fire. 

And then replied.

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’m going back to work_

_The Idiot: Keep your eye on the prize ;P_

* * *

Renly sat before her, more poised than he had ever looked in any of their meetings before. Brienne sniffed. He did look awfully proud of himself, considering she was the one who had done all of the work for this meeting.

She opened up her file for the Baratheon Estates and pulled out three sets of documents. “As we discussed last time. I have put together a set of suggestions for which companies I think should be contracted to build our agreed upon design for the Baratheon Estates, and for which companies should provide the appropriate materials.” She laid the three sets of documents out into separate piles and fanned each of the piles out so that they separated into several packages. “From my experience of working with these companies and from the advice of some of my colleagues concerning the companies I have not had a chance to work with yet, I can’t recommend builders and suppliers separately. Certain construction companies work better with certain suppliers, and certain suppliers work better with each other.” Brienne pointed at the first package, “I understand that you have expanded the budget your brother originally outlined for the Baratheon Estates, but for the sake of transparency, this is the only combination that would have fallen within those budget guidelines.” She then tapped the other two piles, “These two fall within your new budget guidelines.”

Renly leaned forward and picked up the first pile that Brienne had gestured to then set the packages in his lap. The package on the very top belonged to that of the building companies while the material suppliers were all found underneath. “We spent several meetings altering the architectural design of the Baratheon Estates until we were both satisfied with the design. Will the choice of one company over another require further alterations?”

Brienne shook her head, “I have only looked at builders and suppliers that have the capability of producing our designs. Hence why under the old budget only that,” she gestured at the documents in Renly’s hands and lap, “Set would have sufficed, and even then, we would be skirting the upper bounds of the budget.”

“So, would you advise I go with one of the other two sets, then?” Renly asked and gathered the documents in his possession back up into a neat pile before setting them back on Brienne’s desk.

She gave a small frown, “Wouldn’t you rather take a look at the three of them yourself to determine which builders and suppliers you’d prefer, Renly?”

Renly waved his hand dismissively, “Please, Brienne, I would love your opinion on such things. I’m hardly the expert here.”

Brienne tried not to furrow her eyebrows. Renly had gone through a lot of effort in order to take over the Baratheon Estates contract, not the least of which was going through every single contractor that Robert had planned to hire and deem them unworthy. It was strange and confounding that Renly wasn’t doing the same now that he was actually in charge. Brienne placed her hand on the middle pile of documents and pushed them forward, “I would choose this builder and these material suppliers in order to get the best possible results with our design.”

Renly reached out to take the stack of documents from Brienne and flipped through them casually, nodding his head as he flicked through the pages. He looked up at Brienne with twinkling, gem-like eyes, “I think this will do.”

Brienne shifted in her chair. She had expected him to take all of the documents home and review them. Another meeting would have had to be scheduled before an agreement could be settled and she had thought that it would be a battle to get Renly’s approval. She had kind of been _anticipating_ it. All her life had been battles to get people to take her seriously and it was just _weird_ that Renly was barely even putting up a struggle. “Are you sure you don’t want to review all of the packages further before we reach a contractual agreement and I contact these companies?”

Renly smiled at her, “I trust you, Brienne.”

* * *

Brienne eyebrows furrowed in concentration as her muscles clenched. She grunted as she completed the final rep in her last set of squats. Taking a small step back, Brienne lowered her weights into the rack and then let out a long breath as the pressure on her traps released. She rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck in relief. Her legs burned from her workout, sweat was dripping down her face and neck, and she needed water, _now_. 

Before she could even move to find her water bottle, the metal container decorated with pink waves was held out in front of her face - and that was when she finally noticed Jaime standing in front of her with a smirk on his lips. “Why does it not surprise me that you’re in a world of your own when you’re working out?”

Brienne blinked at him confusedly a couple times, the blood only just rushing from her muscles back to her brain, before he waved the bottle again and she took it out of his hands and unscrewed the lid to take a long drink. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand while getting herself in gear, Brienne asked, “How long have you been standing here?”

“Since about four sets ago,” Jaime shrugged. “A normal person relaxes enough between sets to notice things going on around them, but not you Brienne Arwyn Tarth,” he said fondly as he rapped one of his knuckles against her shoulder.

“It’s good to keep focused!” Brienne waved his pestering hand away from her and Jaime responded by poking her in the forehead, which only caused her to sputter at him belligerently.

Jaime burst into a deep laugh that had Brienne’s heart racing even faster than it already was. She peeked around the gym and saw that several pairs of eyes had turned towards them. Maybe some of them had already been trained on Jaime since he had set foot in the gym. He, after all, looked captivating in his not quite tight, not quite baggy gym wear; not yet sweaty, and just so beautifully golden. And, Brienne knew, he would look just as handsome, if not _better_ and definitely scandalous, flushed and sweaty. 

“Are you okay? Do you need more water?” Jaime asked.

Brienne blinked a couple times more to clear her head, “What? Why do you ask?”

Jaime smirked, “You’re turning awfully red.” At that Brienne only turned even redder, and Jaime chuckled in turn. 

_She_ , meanwhile, was just this hideous looking woman who had the audacity to be seen talking to him. She knew what the people in the gym must have been thinking. Why her? Why was someone as good looking and model handsome as Jaime Lannister talking to an ugly freak like her? Even though she wasn’t at _that_ gym anymore, she could somehow still feel Red’s eyes boring into her, silently _laughing_ at her. A shiver ran up Brienne’s spine and suddenly, the need to simply _get out_ attacked her. “I’m done with the weights for the day,” she said quickly and took a step back, “If you want the squat rack.”

Jaime frowned at her reaction and took a tentative step towards her to gently close the gap she had opened up. “What other workouts were you planning on doing today?”

Brienne bit her lower lip, “There’s a yoga class starting in about ten minutes.”

Jaime gave her a small smile, “Right, Rainbow membership.” Brienne nodded. “How long does it go on for?”

“About an hour and a half,” Brienne mumbled.

“My program today is going to take about that long. Um…” Jaime bit his bottom lip and Brienne’s eyes immediately locked onto the movement, enraptured. “Do you have anything planned tonight?”

Brienne’s eyes jumped back up to meet his, “Do you mean…?”

Jaime shrugged, trying for nonchalance and failing grandly. Even _she_ could tell. “If you’re interested. I know it’s Friday and you probably have something planned. But if you don’t, come over. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, though. I know that I can be a bit much and that spending time with me can be-“

“I’d love to come over tonight. I mean…” Brienne flushed again and agonized internally, but managed to spit out, “I don’t have anything planned tonight after the gym.”

Jaime let out a long breath of what seemed like relief and smiled at her. “Alright, I’ll meet you outside the change rooms?”

Brienne nodded, “I’ll see you there.” And then she bolted before she could unsuccessfully _not_ overthink what had just happened and tried to clear her mind not at all during her yoga class.

* * *

When Brienne came out of the change room scrubbed practically raw and pink of sweat and grime, she found him sitting on one of the benches by the entrance with the bottom half of his face in his hands. “You okay?” Brienne asked, clutching the strap of her gym bag.

Jaime’s head snapped towards her and he nodded while stumbling up to his feet. “I’m alright. You’re all set?”

Brienne nodded and watched as he got just one step ahead of her just so that he could open the door. She quirked her eyebrow at the show of chivalry that was unneeded, but still appreciated, and finally noticed the slight pink flush of his cheeks. “Hard work out?”

Jaime looked over at her then away and then back at her as they made their way to his house; and when she finally caught his gaze, the near lack of green surprised her. “Yeah.”

Brienne bit her lip and his eyes focused on her mouth the way hers had been drawn to his earlier, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Jaime ran his hand through his hair and sighed, “Sorry,” he said guiltily and winced. “Truth be told, I finished my work out early so I went to check up on you at the studio and saw-“ 

Brienne’s jaw clenched. _Saw her lumbering around on a yoga mat like a massive cow._

“Saw you in that pose where you were balanced on one foot while holding the other behind your head, the other arm stretched out, and you were just so elegant, lithe and flexible and _shit_ ,” Jaime messed with his hair, “I left right away. I didn’t mean to be a total creep. Sorry. If you’d rather go home and never see me again, I understand.”

Brienne stopped mid-stride, “Elegant?” She didn’t mind that he had apparently been turned on while seeing her in a yoga pose; she had been turned on seeing him in his gym wear. He hadn’t been weird and predatory about it and that was what mattered to her. 

Jaime stopped only one step away from her, “Yes?”

Brienne swallowed. So he hadn't thought of her as some lumbering cow. She shook the thought of Red from her mind. “No one… no one’s ever called me _elegant_ before.”

Jaime tilted his head, “Why not?”

She sputtered, “Why… why _not_?” He genuinely looked confused and a heat built up inside of Brienne that she didn’t want to smolder.

Jaime must’ve seen her eyes darken by the way he was suddenly running his tongue over his bottom lip, “Brienne?”

“We should get back to your place, Jaime.”

“What?”

Brienne shoved him a little bit down the sidewalk towards his house and Jaime yelped at the contact, not expecting the brazen action. “Jaime, now!”

Realization seemed to dawn on him as they both picked up their pace, “I know a shortcut.”

They barely managed to get through his front door before two gym bags fell in a heap to the ground and Brienne had Jaime pressed up against the wall in the foyer, her lips slanted over his and her knee between his thighs. Jaime grunted as his hands gripped her waist and he pulled her closer to him, molding their bodies together in a desperate bid for dominance, his pelvis grinding hard into hers. Brienne knew that she would let him win in the end, maybe she wouldn’t even have to _let_ him, but she wanted to give him at least a little bit of a fight - and from the noises he was making and the way that he was hooking her leg with his to turn them so that he could trap her instead, he was enjoying her push to his pull, too. 

Brienne threw her head back and gasped in pleasure as Jaime managed to get enough leverage to throw them off the wall and spin so that he had her up against his closed door, her leg now hitched up against his hip as his hand cupped under her knee. As he rolled his hips, his hard cock teasing her entrance through their clothes, he leaned forward and nipped at the crook of her neck. “Feeling feisty tonight, wench?”

Brienne replied by stroking her hands down the length of his back, grabbing his ass and pulling him in closer while lavishing kisses against any exposed skin on his collar her lips could find. Jaime almost seemed to purr in contentment before he dug his lion’s paws back in and dragged her away from the door, “My bedroom. Now.”

Amid a flurry of tangled limbs, rubbing body parts, kisses, and a couple detours where Brienne pulled and Jaime pushed in turn, they managed to stumble their way unharmed into Jaime’s bedroom. 

He flipped her before the backs of her knees hit the mattress and she found herself bent over, hands clenched in his comforter with one of his palms spread between her shoulder blades, barely any pressure applied. Before Brienne could turn around and drag Jaime on top of her – he should know by now that she would use every leverage to try and gain control – a loud smack and a sharp pain radiated from one of her ass cheeks. Brienne threw her head up and yelped in a mix of surprise and arousal. Jaime’s hand returned to the point of impact and massaged her rump as he leaned over her, his chest pressed warmly against her back while his other hand carded sweetly through her hair. He growled lowly into her ear, his sultry voice in contrast to the gentle motion of his thumb stroking over her ass and his nails massaging her scalp. “Was that what you were hoping for, Brienne?” _Was that okay?_

“Fuck,” Brienne whimpered as she pressed her ass back into his hand. She felt Jaime’s lips curl around the shell of her ear in a smile before his teeth nipped at the cartilage and he drew away from her. His hand slid down the back of her neck and pressed more deliberately between her shoulder blades, searing his heat through her clothes and into her skin. He loved it when he got her to swear. The first time she had given up her sense of propriety and had turned into a proud sailor’s daughter had been when he had teased her nice and slow with shallow thrusts for what had felt like hours. It had been agonizing not being able to escape the bonds that had her wrists tied to his headboard and simply drag him deep into her, or better yet flip them so she could ride him fast and hard home. He had made it another challenge for himself ever since.

Jaime’s fingers curled over the waistband of her trousers and panties and pulled them both down to her knees, leaving her tangled in the fabric of her own clothes. “Fuck Brienne, look at how wet you already are.” The tips of his fingers slid over her slick, hot skin and Brienne mewled. She could hear him licking his lips. Raising his hand again, he brought it down on her other ass cheek, and although Brienne had anticipated the impact, the feeling of pain mixed with pleasure still rippled through her, thrilling and rolling. “Fuck, you just flush everywhere when you’re aroused, don’t you, wench?” Instead of just simply soothing the reddened skin with a caress this time, Brienne felt Jaime’s whole body move behind her – the hand between her shoulders sliding to the small of her back – and suddenly his tongue was in her.

Brienne groaned without restraint at the sensation and felt him smirk against her entrance as he lavished attention on her in all the right ways to gradually push her to the edge. She tried to grind back into him, but the hand on her back held her fast and his other hand came back down on her backside again in reprimand. She whined in protest and the sensation of his chuckles against her sex sent her right over the edge. 

“Fuck, Brienne. What kind of fool wouldn’t worship at your feet?” Jaime growled. She heard him pop open their trunk, close it, then stand back up. Brienne looked over her shoulder and saw him shedding his shirt, his muscles rippling. He then pulled down his own trousers and boxer briefs. Coating his hardened cock with the lube he had retrieved, he stepped up behind her, and she faced forward once more in anticipation. “Brienne?”

She turned her head around to look at him again, curiously, “Yes?”

He had a frown on his face, his eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t like this,” he mumbled in a state of contemplation. Brienne began to lift herself up from the mattress. “But—” Jaime’s head suddenly snapped up as he looked around his room. A grin broke out on his face.

“What are you…?” Brienne started and then stopped as Jaime moved away from her, to the side of his bed.

“Come over here, Brienne. I want you on your knees.”

Brienne didn’t even hesitate as she nodded and kicked off her pants and panties, standing up and moving around the corner of the bed to where Jaime had gone. She hadn’t had the opportunity to taste him yet, although the thought had been on her mind since their second scene together. She _knew_ from all the scenes she had already had with him that he wouldn’t try to shove himself down her throat, wouldn’t pressure her to take more than she was ready to. Her limits had been, and always would be, her own. 

His cock bobbed between them as she moved in to kiss him and run her hands down his chest, _touch_ him for the sake of touching him. He often brought her so much pleasure with his mouth that she had been anticipating the scene that he would ask of her to pleasure him. She would take him between her lips gladly. Fuck his cock with her mouth happily. She _liked_ seeing him enjoy _himself_ as much as she liked enjoying _herself_.

However, as she went to get on her knees on the floor, Jaime’s eyes widened and he grabbed her elbows, preventing her movement further downwards, “That’s not what I meant!” Jaime said with an edge of panic.

Brienne blinked up at him bewildered and then straightened back up, “What did you mean, then?”

Jaime seemed to flush, “I meant on the bed. Knees and elbows on the bed. Ass in the air, wench.”

“But…” Brienne felt herself turning red as the words flashed through her mind faster than they could come out of her mouth, “I want to… to…” she couldn’t finish the sentence, but flickered her eyes down to his straining cock and sucked on her bottom lip.

Hyle had once said that her lips didn’t look too big when they were wrapped around his dick. It had more than stung at the time, although it had taken a while for the hurt to settle in. It was one of the reasons why she didn’t like going down on him, if that was what he thought of her.

But that wasn’t how Jaime thought of her face… right? He never turned off the lights, didn’t look away even when he could. It was a chance to wipe away a stain of her past and reclaim something that had once nearly cleaved her in two. Turn a sexual act back into one of pleasure rather than of pain, with someone she trusted to not hurt her.

“Brienne,” Jaime murmured, his fingers reaching up to brush some loose strands of hair behind her ear where he gently tucked them. “You put a 2 down for fellatio. I’m not going to make you do something you only _tolerate_.”

Brienne’s heart stuttered in her chest and she grabbed his forearms to steady herself. She had forgotten that she had only written down a 2 for that act, and Jaime… well Jaime had been completely serious when he had told her he would only plan things _she_ had ranked highly. She gave herself a moment to breathe and then gave him a small smile. “But it _is_ something you’re interested in?”

Jaime flushed and then bit the inside of his cheek as though he had been caught red handed, “I mean. Yes. Yes, I’m interested. _Gods._ ” 

Her grip on him tightened, “Then, Jaime, promise me that we’ll renegotiate some of the checklist. Because I _want_ to do that, too.”

“Brienne…” He gently cupped her elbows.

She stepped closer to him. “Jaime. The point of the checklist is that it’s a conduit for communication, not an unchanging agreement.”

Jaime huffed a bit, then nodded. Brienne smiled and nodded, too. “Alright, alright. Do you want to continue tonight?”

Brienne laughed breathily and leaned into him, “Oh, by the Seven, yes!” She blushed, “I mean, if you want to continue tonight.”

Jaime chuckled, his lips brushing hers and then he swatted her on the behind. Brienne yelped as Jaime shoved her back towards the bed and she scrambled onto her elbows and knees. “Tell me your favourite colour, wench,” he bit out as he brought the blunt tip of his cock to her entrance and held one of her hips with his hand. 

Brienne threw her head up as she realized that this would be the first time that they would have sex without a condom and she wouldn’t get to see his face. That was when she realized why he had moved them. Brienne stared at the mirror image of herself from across the bedroom and she saw the smug grin on Jaime’s face practically explode. “Green.” His free hand swirled as much of her hair as he could grasp around his palm, his fingers curled through the strands against her scalp, and then he pulled her head back so that her spine dipped and arched. “Green.” Brienne flushed and moaned at the sensation of him pulling on her hair as her ass practically presented itself to him and he pushed fully into her. “Oh Gods Jaime, _green_.”

Between seeing the effect she had on him and seeing the effect he had on her – _because she had certainly never seen herself in the throws of passion before_ – and the feeling of him deep and angled so differently inside her, Brienne crashed head first onto the shores of pleasure.

After, Jaime helped clean her up with a warm washcloth he had hurriedly retrieved from his washroom before they cuddled in together.

After, she lay curled in his arms, drawing patterns into his skin as he caressed her still aching buttocks and scalp while they both rode out their post scene dazes.

After, they slowly crawled out of bed to grab their food from the delivery person, because Jaime hadn’t had the presence of mind to even try and cook.

After, Brienne didn’t leave because she liked the way Jaime was curled around her and she was curled around him on his soft futon as they watched some terrible movie on his upstairs television.

After…

They fell asleep tangled in his bed together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:
> 
> She sputtered, “Why… why not?” He genuinely looked confused and a heat built up inside of Brienne that she didn’t want to smolder. -->Brienne: Fuck, he's an honest idiot with no taste, let me ride him.


	11. Hyle Hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

Brienne woke with a start when Jaime suddenly moved. Her eyes snapped open when the warm bundle beside her flinched and nearly threw her to the other side of the mattress in a flurry of confused limbs. “Oof!” 

“Seven! Brienne, shit, I’m sorry. Are you okay?” Warm arms wrapped back around her as she blinked her bleary eyes and focused on Jaime’s features. His fingers brushed over her face, running over all of her absurd features as though landing on a soft mattress had somehow broken her. 

“I’m okay. Was just surprised.” Brienne mumbled as she rubbed at her eyes and pushed Jaime just far enough away from her so that she could stretch her limbs. Jaime practically scuttled to the edge of his side of the mattress in the most dramatic of reactions she had ever witnessed. “Where are you going?” Brienne asked sleepily as she grabbed his arm and dragged him back against her.

Jaime made some sort of bewildered sound that managed to finally kick-start her morning brain. She yelped as she sat up and this time Jaime “Oof”ed as her palm landed smack in the middle of his sternum, pinning him to the bed.

Brienne looked around in a flurry, finally registering where she was and what she had _done_ . The morning after was in no way part of their agreement. “Oh gods! I’m so sorry!” She felt herself flushing hot with panic. This was not what their relationship was _like_ . Well it was what _she_ , the silly girl that she was, would want from it, but that new-sprung thought was supposed to be tucked away in a locked chest in the corner of her heart, so utterly ignored that it wasn’t even supposed to exist. That want for affection, especially during the morning after, was a layover from her brief and terrible relationship with Hyle, and although that relationship had ended long ago, she had never quite gotten over the lonely bitterness of it. 

But that was just her. 

What was important _now_ was that this kind of affection also wasn’t what _Jaime_ wanted from their relationship. The closeness and the aftercare they had established were for her benefit and she was just brazenly taking advantage of Jaime’s good heart and friendship. The way that he had scrambled to get away from her had only proved it. And, _oh gods_! She was being such a terrible friend. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep at your place. I just got so comfortable and it was nice and-“

“Hey, hey, hey,” Jaime said soothingly as he tenderly took her wrist and moved it so that he could sit up as well. Brienne gaped in horror as she realized she had used her monstrous strength to literally _hold him down beneath her._ He had wanted to escape and she had effectively caged him. “It’s okay. I didn’t ask you to go last night either.”

“But you were so startled by the fact that I was still here,” Brienne muttered in embarrassment and wrenched her wrist out of his grasp. He had been trying to get away from her and she had just forced herself on him.

Jaime grimaced. “I mean,” he took in a deep breath, “I wasn’t expecting you to still be here when I woke, but I’m not unhappy that you are.” There was a strange tension in his shoulders. “I’m sorry if I prevented you from going or something. I get kind of,” Jaime winced, “Clingy when I’m asleep and I know it can be hard to sneak out.”

Brienne blinked a few times and wondered why in all names Jaime thought she would want to _sneak out_ . “I would have woken you up to say goodbye anyways.” She huffed a couple times and then strained despite herself, “Jaime, I don’t _mind_ clingy.” But he obviously minded that he had clung to her. “I’m the one that’s been too cli—“

But then Jaime’s shoulders suddenly relaxed and his head dropped in what seemed like relief as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Brienne blinked again as all of the threads she had spun in her mind suddenly snapped. The panic in her dissolved as a calm peace washed over her.

_What was going on?_

Brienne slowly hugged him back, squeezing his shoulders as tight as she dared, and his face nuzzled into the crook of her neck. She buried her nose into his hair. Jaime made a happy rumbling sound as though he was purring in reply. 

* * *

This was certainly not what Brienne had thought Jaime had meant when he had told her it was time for breakfast. It was _certainly_ not what she had thought he had meant when he had come back out of his washroom, after having scrubbed his teeth and relieving himself. He had been staring at his right hand, flexing it, mumbling about how he wouldn’t be able to hold himself up today.

Brienne cried out and slammed her palms against the wall behind Jaime’s headboard. She tried to lift off of him, but the tips of Jaime’s fingers dug into her thighs harder, holding her down on top of him as his sinful tongue devoured her. Only vaguely did she register that the grip of his left hand was much tighter than his right and her body was modulating the balance of its strength to match his.

She could feel that she was flushed from the roots of her hair down to the tips of her toes. She had never, _ever_ done this before and, oh _Gods,_ she was going to _crush_ him and he wasn’t helping his own cause by... “ _Oh fuck!_ ” 

His hands pulled on her thighs again, causing her sex to roll over the bottom half of his face. His morning stubble rasped against the soft skin of her shaking thighs and she reached down with one hand to curl it through his golden hair. Brienne knew, she just bloody _knew_ , that the bastard below her hadn’t shaved his stubbly beard that morning on purpose. _Wretch_ . What a conniving, dastardly fucking wretch. She would feel him on the sensitive skin between her thighs for the rest of the day. Remember the feel of his tongue with every movement of her legs. Maybe she should just take her pleasure and smother him with her… But if she did what she wanted, then she would be doing what he wanted. Bastard, _bastard_ , “Bas—ah!”

Brienne panted as she tried to see straight while Jaime ate the life out of her. Instead, when she dropped her head down in stimulated defeat, stars bursting in her vision and body shaking, his sharp, emerald eyes only shone wickedly back up at her from below her mound. 

Brienne hollered again, her hand tightening in his hair, as another orgasm ripped through her while Jaime coerced her into sliding over his tongue again.

How the hell was this man in such complete control when she was the one sitting on his damn face?

* * *

Her thighs were marked with little fingerprint bruises, her butt cheeks were still slightly tender, and she nearly drank the mug of coffee that Jaime set in front of her in one gulp. He stared at her for one second, blank faced, before he burst out into delighted laughter and took her mug back, still laughing as he returned to the kitchen to refill it. 

When he returned with another hot cup, he said, “You really are something, Brienne.”

She just grunted and took the mug of coffee from him, sipping from it now like a normal person would. Jaime disappeared back into the kitchen, still chuckling under his breath as she eyed him wearily. Their aftercare hadn’t lasted as long as it should’ve, both of their stomachs protesting loudly post-clean up, and so she wasn’t quite out of her daze yet. Brienne shuddered and frowned in irritation at her treacherous appetite. Jaime’s requirements for aftercare really were making themselves known to her, and even the wool blanket he had draped on her shoulders wasn’t quite keeping the post-scene chill away.

When Jaime returned with two full Westerosi breakfasts, he set one down in front of her and sat in the seat to her left. Brienne contemplated for only a moment before she made her decision and hooked her ankle around his. Immediately there was a burst of warmth that radiated from the point of contact, up her calf, thigh, and then right into her abdomen. Jaime jerked in surprise but Brienne grabbed a fork and twirled it to gesture at him, “Physical affection for half an hour. It’s part of the contract,” she said pointedly and then shoveled breakfast into her mouth. He really was a fantastic cook and knew it. The bastard. She would have to show him that she was good at throwing together a meal, too. 

After her second mouthful she realized that Jaime hadn’t started eating yet and looked back up. He was staring at her as though he were seeing light for the first time after the fabled Long Night. Which was preposterous. Jaime had deliberately thrown open his bedroom curtains before he had pulled her onto his face. Brienne eyebrows furrowed, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

He jerked again, causing her ankle to bounce and rub against his. The warmth she felt increased. Instead of immediately digging in, he first switched his fork from the right side of his plate to his left hand. Slowly, he held out his right as he speared a sausage on his plate with his left. “Physical affection for half an hour?” Jaime murmured quietly, shyly… questioningly.

Brienne reached out her left hand and grasped his right. Another burst of warmth radiated up her arm as though it were suddenly doused in sunlight. She continued eating breakfast as their fingers curled together. Her thumb slowly ran over his knuckles while a smile curled around her fork.

The rest of their meal passed in a comfortable silence, basked in the warmth of the morning and each other.

Brienne helped Jaime dry the dishes and put them back in their proper places. At first, when she had started helping him with the washing up, she had sought his guidance for where things should go. However, it had only taken her a minute or two until she figured out that his kitchen was actually ordered pretty intuitively. Most of the time she was able to find where something was supposed to go with one pull of a drawer or opening of a cupboard, and it never took more than three tries. It annoyed her to no end that somehow he was _this_ put together.

When Brienne finished storing the last of the utensils away, Jaime was already waiting with a cup of hot honey lemon water for her and a glass of cool water for himself. “You really didn’t have to help,” he said. 

She took the mug out of his hands and settled in to lean against the counter beside him. Taking a sip and sighing contently at the perfect balance he had struck between the sweet and sour notes in her drink, Brienne then replied, “It wasn’t a problem at all, and really, I should have done all the washing up since you did all of the cooking.”

Jaime grinned at her, “You looked like you were in no state to cook, Brienne.” She rolled her eyes and hip checked him lightly. “If anything, I think you don’t actually know how to cook.”

Brienne arched an eyebrow, “Is that a challenge?”

Jaime chuckled, “So you love challenges, too?”

She knew that her cheeks had set on fire, but she plowed on anyways, “How about I cook you dinner tonight, then?”

Jaime paused and then slowly turned to look at her, “What?”

“After we renegotiate the checklist, how do you feel about coming over to my place tonight and it’ll be my turn to finally cook you some dinner.”

“You’re serious.”

“Why wouldn’t I be serious?”

“Will your friends be hiding in the closet with knives ready?”

Brienne snickered, “I wouldn’t put it past them if I told them you were coming over.”

“So you’ve told them I’m coming over.”

“Well, _are_ you coming over?”

Jaime blinked then smiled so bright that Brienne’s heart nearly skipped a beat, “If you’ll have me.”

Brienne pulled out her phone and waved it, “Then I’m telling them you’re coming over.” She tapped on the screen to unlock it and navigated to her text messages.

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: So…_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: IT_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: IS_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: HAP_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: PENING_

Jaime blinked in shock, “That was one fucking quick reply.”

“That would be Olenna’s granddaughter spamming me.”

“Oh. That makes sense. Terrifying.”

Brienne tilted her phone towards him so that he could see her messages and prayed that her friends, mainly Margaery, behaved.

_Sansa Jeyne Stark: Margaery tells me that I need to bring out the big guns tonight?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: No need for big guns_

_Sansa Jeyne Stark: The little ones then?_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Stop hanging out with your little sister_

_Sansa Jeyne Stark: You tell me I should try getting along with her more_

_Sansa Jeyne Stark: Now you don’t_

_Sansa Jeyne Stark: Make up your mind :P_

_Sansa Jeyne Stark: <3 _

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: <3 _

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Don’t invade my home_

_Sansa Jeyne Stark: Honestly, Brienne. There’s only so much one can do to stop Margaery_

_Sansa Jeyne Stark: But I’ll try_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Brienne! Tell me._

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Do. You. Have. Condoms?_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Because I will get some for you ~_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: And sneak them into your room before you get back if you need :D_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: 8================D(*)_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Do I finally have the size about right? xD xD xD_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Margaery…_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: OMG_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: WHEN DID YOU STOP USING THEM_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: I_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: AM_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: SCREAMING!!!!!_

_Margaery Olenna Tyrell: BRIENNE. DETAILS!!!!!!!_

Brienne slipped her phone back into her pocket, “They’ve been informed.”

Jaime simply pressed his lips together so as to not make a sound, but the shaking of his upper body gave away the fact that he was holding in a mighty bout of laughter. “They really are sweet,” he managed to choke out.

Brienne just shook her head and rubbed her temples, not able to help the smile that pulled on her lips, “Sansa is. Margaery is just…” Brienne paused to try and think of a single word that captured the essence of her friend, but couldn’t, “She’s Margaery.”

“Okay then. Dinner at your place,” Jaime reconfirmed, “Now…” he paused, set his empty glass on the counter and wiped his hands on his checked pajama pants, “Are you sure you still want to renegotiate the contract?”

“I was the one who brought it up,” Brienne stated.

Jaime nodded, “I know. But as I said a while ago, sometimes within a scene participants might think they want to renegotiate the contract, but in the light of day they realize that it was a heat-of-the-moment kind of thing. I just want to make sure it’s actually what you want and that it’s not because I expressed a desire to do something that wasn’t ranked highly for you. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable just to accommodate me. I am already more than happy with what we can do.”

Brienne paused and stared at Jaime as he rocked lightly onto the balls of his feet and fiddled with the fabric of his pajamas nervously. She understood where he was coming from. She understood it viscerally, too. Hyle had expressed on multiple occasions that he enjoyed receiving blow jobs and although after he had said what he had said about her lips - the backhanded compliment that was barely a compliment, which had made her uncomfortable with the act - she had still gone down on him one or two more times just to please him before she had decided to stop it… and then end that terrible relationship all together.

Maybe that’s what it came down to.

Brienne took in a large breath.

“I need to tell you something, Jaime.”

Jaime looked at her. Really looked at her. “You can tell me anything, Brienne.”

“It might be completely irrelevant to the contract.”

“If it is, that doesn’t matter. But is it, though?”

Brienne’s voice cracked, “No,” she took in a deep breath, “No. I don’t think so.”

Jaime stepped forward and held his hands out to her, palms up. “You can tell me _anything_.”

Brienne slowly lifted her hands and placed them into his. His fingers slowly curled around hers, the grip of his right weaker than his left. “C-Can we sit? I don’t think I can do this standing here like this.”

“Sure. Anywhere you want.”

“Out in your garden? It’s a beautiful day.”

Jaime nodded. They both walked out of the kitchen and went back into the dining room. Jaime grabbed the wool blanket she had left draped over her chair and opened one of the large French doors that led out to his backyard, never letting go of her left hand. Slowly, he led her over to an oak bench that she hadn’t seen from the inside, and sat her down. He tucked himself in beside her and draped the blanket over them to keep the late morning chill at bay.

Brienne took in a deep breath and played with the edges of the blanket. Jaime squeezed her hand. She slowly turned to him and curled her fingers around his. 

“His name was Hyle Hunt.”

Jaime gazed softly at her, then rested his forehead against hers, “I fucking hate him already.”

Tears came to her eyes, but laughter bubbled out of her, too.

* * *

“I met Hyle in university. We weren’t friends, but we weren’t strangers either. I played women’s rugby and he was on a bunch of intramural teams. We crossed paths a few times before we ‘officially’ met each other at a mutual friend’s frat party.”

“I’m no longer going to take your grievances for when I tell people we met on a BDSM forum,” Jaime quietly teased, settling in closer to her.

Brienne rolled her eyes and started to massage Jaime’s right hand with her thumbs. “That day I had just gotten a talking to from the men’s rugby coach, Randyll Tarly, who, by the way, is a sexist asshole. And yes I’m swearing, Jaime, because that bastard warrants it. Hyle came up to me and told me how he thought Tarly had been out of line and how he was also sorry he hadn’t spoken up while it had been happening. It was more than the other guys on the men’s rugby team had to say to me, especially since most of them thought that I deserved more than Tarly’s mad ravings. I thought he was sweet.”

Brienne paused and seemed to contemplate what to say next. She moved her thumbs to another part of Jaime’s hand and looked up at him to see if she should continue and he nodded. She pressed her thumbs into the back of his hand, below his pinky, which made Jaime hiss in pain. Brienne nearly pulled back, but Jaime gestured at her to continue.

She pressed her thumbs back into his hand and continued her story. “I learned later that Hyle also knew who I was because his father had bought some stock from my dad’s company and had made a lot of money from it, but I suppose that’s by the by. Hyle never _hid_ it. He even told me all the details of how his dad had acquired the stocks and how much they had made when I eventually found out, but he hadn’t been forthright either.”

“Charming.” Jaime drawled.

Brienne laughed weakly, “I certainly thought so. Maybe he just knew I was going to be easy to charm.” Jaime gnashed his teeth together, but at Brienne’s shaking head, he kept quiet. “It was the beginning of my relationship with him, my first relationship ever actually, and… I suppose my last relationship, too.”

“In university?”

“Ever.”

“No one else has ever wanted to date you?”

“Shocked?”

Jaime’s jaw clenched, “Fairly.”

Brienne shrugged, “Not everyone was able to ignore what they could see like he could.” Jaime’s mouth opened in protest, but she waved his words away again. This was a story of a time before she had met Goldenhand of Seven Silks and Sands. “Though,” Brienne winced, “I suppose he needed some help, too.”

Jaime’s jaw clenched harder. “The dark.”

“I remember it as clearly as though he had spoken just a moment ago. ‘In the dark you’d be as beautiful as any other woman’.”

She watched as the nails of Jaime’s left hand dug into his thigh.

Brienne gave him a small, sad smile, “We never had sex unless it was at night, the curtains closed, the lights off. Not unless there was no one else around, unless I could be quiet so no one could hear.”

Jaime made a strangled noise.

“The only time we wouldn’t be in the dark was when I…” Brienne choked on the word, so she instead opted to lightly tap on her lips. It was humiliating, but the experience was what had shaped that _2_.

“Oh gods…”

Brienne shrugged again, “He enjoyed it but… I… not with him.”

“Brienne.”

“I didn’t even enjoy sex with him. Well, no,” Brienne huffed and laughed sardonically, “That’s not right either. I did enjoy sex with him. I enjoyed a lot of things with him… until I realized what he was thinking, who he really was. And then I didn’t.”

Jaime squeezed Brienne’s hand.

“When I broke up with him, he just accepted it, although he was miffed that I was the one to do it. I also discovered then that he had never tried to _deliberately_ be cruel to me, it was just… how he naturally ended up treating me. That messed me up real bad for a while. Cruelty I understand, but that… that was something else entirely to try and overcome.”

“Just because he wasn’t being deliberately cruel doesn’t mean he wasn’t cruel. What he did, the fact that he inherently treated you that way, tells me nothing about you, but a lot about him.”

“A lot of the things that I did with him became my formative sexual experiences. I eventually learned that it was okay to enjoy sex, but I still…” Brienne laughed and peeked at Jaime, “Well, you know. I am still reluctant to be loud. I needed to beg you to not have our first time in the dark—“

“Brienne, you didn’t beg and I wouldn’t have—“

“But I’m getting over it,” Brienne blushed a sweet, coral pink that made her freckles pop. “And a lot other things I once thought were impossible for me sexually are suddenly feeling, well… incredibly possible.”

Jaime let out a small sigh as he seemed to realize where she was going.

“Possible with you,” Brienne smiled.

* * *

After, Jaime and Brienne moved back into the dining room and Jaime got his laptop set up. Having gone through it before, they were able to quickly go over the checklist. This time they kept it fully electronic with detailed notes of the changes that were made recorded in the appropriate column. 

“You know how you asked me if I wanted to know what you had planned for a scene and I said no?”

Jaime smiled gently at her, “Yeah.”

Brienne tapped the table nervously, “I mean, I still want it to kind of be a surprise but… I also want more input, too. Is that okay?”

Jaime put his hand over Brienne’s, “Of course it’s okay.”

Brienne made a couple minor adjustments to her scores, but the biggest ones were a change from 2 to 4 for fellatio and the removal of the NY for blindfolds. Although her hands trembled slightly as she hit the back button twice, she was confident she was ready for it. 

She gazed at Jaime from the corner of her eye.

She could feel the steady syncopation of her heart. 

She trusted him.

“Oh, since we’re also discussing other minor adjustments,” Jaime muttered as he scrolled around their contract, “You know how I called you Miss Tarth that one time?”

Brienne’s cheeks flushed as she recalled the exact context of when he had referred to her like _that_. She nodded as she couldn’t even find the ‘yes’ to reply.

“Do you want to add that onto the list of names I can refer to you as, or keep it off? I haven’t used it since, since—“

“Oh Seven, you haven’t, have you?” There was a reason why only one memory popped up at that term.

Jaime frowned, “It was a slip up on my part and—“

“You can refer to me as Miss Tarth or Miss Brienne Arwyn Tarth or Miss Brienne Tarth.” Brienne tried to pretend she didn’t know how red her cheeks were.

Jaime smirked at her but then frowned, “Please don’t call me Mr. Lannister, though. That would be my father. But Mr. Jaime Lannister is fine.”

“Do you have a middle name?”

“Ah! I am not going to be just like everyone else in your contacts, Brienne,” Jaime grinned. Brienne rolled her eyes playfully as he rewrote that part of the contract.

They quickly went through all of the changes together once more before he sent her a copy of the new checklist.

When they were done with renegotiating, both of them decided to head to the gym before grabbing a light lunch and then grocery shopping for the ingredients that Brienne would need for their dinner that night. 

At the reception of the gym, Brienne grinned slyly at Jaime as she purchased him a 10x pass into the yoga classes and he stared at the stamp card as though it were a demon from the deep. 

Brienne spotted Jaime during his weight training, and couldn’t help feeling annoyed when he could lift just as much as her despite the fact that his right arm wasn’t even at its best; and for the first time in a long time, she didn’t completely tune out what was going on around her as she completed her own sets… increasing the weight from last time by just a touch. 

“You don’t seem to need to go into your own world to perfect your form and increase your personal bests, so why do you do it?” Jaime asked as Brienne huffed and gulped down a quarter of her water bottle after her fourth set. She pursed her lips and unconsciously looked around her. Jaime scowled as he took her water bottle back from her, “Hyle?”

Brienne snapped her head to look at him,then shook it, “No. He never went to the gym with me.” She winced as she wrung her hands, “Other guys I know, though…” Ronnet “Red” Connington to be precise, but she didn’t think he was even worth talking about. He was just a blip in her recent history that was no different than other blips in her long history. It was just too bad that he had been the guy right before she had met Jaime. What an even sorrier comparison that was.

Jaime’s nose flared as Brienne prepared herself for her next set, “Another asshole?”

Brienne laughed as she took on the weight, “That term’s far too nice for him.”

Jaime simply grunted as he moved to spot her.

Watching Jaime try his first class of yoga was an experience and a half. It was clear that he had never done anything like it before and that thus far he had been lax in regards to his stretching routine. 

Brienne tried not to preen as she folded completely over at the hips so that her forehead touched her shins and Jaime struggled to touch his toes. Apparently she wasn’t trying hard enough because Jaime glared daggers at her as he toppled to and fro throughout the whole class. He could lift more than her, but at least she was also flexible and had much more than just enough balance to get through everyday life. Nimble as a cat, Jaime was not. 

They left the gym none too quietly, arguing about who was the more athletic person of the two. The argument lasted through lunch, as they wandered down the aisles of the grocery store and while they made their way to Brienne’s place. 

“My right hand, arm, and shoulder weren’t even at their best today!”

Brienne scoffed, although the corners of her lips tugged upwards, “So I’ve heard… what? Fifty times? We’re here.”

Brienne watched as Jaime looked up at her small, wood paneled, one bedroom bungalow and furrowed her eyebrows when his eyes suddenly seemed to spark to life. “You first.”

Brienne’s eyes narrowed, “I mean, obviously,” she stepped to the door and inserted the key, “What are you planning, Jaime?”

He just smiled innocently at her until she opened the door and let him in. They both dropped their bags of groceries and their gym bags on the ground as Brienne slipped off her shoes. “Kitchen, dining, and living room are all open plan,” she said and waved in the general direct of the three rooms. “The washroom is over there,” she pointed at one door, “And…” she felt her cheeks flare up, “My bedroom is that door over there.”

Jaime shook his head, “No. Going to need a better tour than that.”

Brienne was about to turn around and scowl at him when she felt an arm behind her knees and another behind her shoulders, and suddenly she was hefted off the ground. With a little bit of a scream, Brienne threw her arms around Jaime’s neck, “Put me down, you heathen! You’re going to drop me!”

“As has been my point the whole way from the gym, I can lift much heavier than you,” Jaime gloated. Brienne’s nose flared at his word game and she went to flick his forehead, “But I will drop you if you keep struggling, so settle down,” Brienne pouted but put her hand back around his neck, “There’s nothing in the grocery bags that’s going to go off if they aren’t immediately taken care of, right?”

“I’m going to _kick_ you!”

Jaime tsked happily, “That would be counterproductive. And good, I didn’t remember there being so. “ He walked around her dining and living room area observing her furnishings and decorations, “This is an excellent use of space.”

“Don’t you dare turn this conversation to the architecture of my house!”

Jaime grinned, “But it’s exquisite. Modified from the original foundation, obviously, but an open concept does this floorplan much better. Natural light coming in during all times of the day.”

“Says the man who toured his place with a very detailed ‘Living room!’” Brienne complained but wrapped her arms tighter around his neck as he tightened his hold on her. Even through her jacket and clothes, she was beginning to feel his warmth on her skin. 

Jaime chuckled as he entered her kitchen and circled around the island, “Good amount of counter space. A gas range!”

“Stop swinging about! I’m going to kick the knives!”

“Then don’t kick the knives.”

“Don’t kick the knives,” Brienne mimicked mockingly.

“That’s juvenile behaviour, Brienne,” Jaime tried to berate her seriously.

She lightly pulled on a lock of hair at the nape of his neck and Jaime playfully growled at her, “I _cannot_ believe you!”

Jaime swaggered as he walked out of the kitchen and towards the washroom door. He lightly kicked it open. “Holy fuck, I’ve never seen a bathtub so big.”

“I’m a big person.”

“Brienne, you could fit two of _me_ inside there.”

“I’m taller than you.”

“You _are not_ taller than two of me.”

“I like my baths, okay?”

He grinned at her, “I prefer showers myself, and that is one very nice rainfall showerhead.”

“We’ve just established, I’m very tall.”

Jaime chuckled and exited her washroom. They both then stared at the final door. He smirked, “Your sex dungeon.”

“Honestly, Jaime!”

Jaime looked down at her and smirked, “Don’t deny that in there is where you–” His eyebrows wiggled, “Spoke with me on the phone for the first time.”

Brienne’s face flamed hot red and she buried her face in Jaime’s neck. “Just get it over with.”

He chuckled and slowly walked towards Brienne’s bedroom door then gently nudged it open with his foot. The door creaked open and Brienne glanced up to see a warm smile on Jaime’s face. “This is where you sleep.”

She chewed her lower lip and went for it, “Most nights.”

Jaime looked at her, then chuckled real low. He gracefully strolled into her room, taking more time to look at everything in the small space than he had spent in all of the other rooms combined, and then gently set her down on her mattress before taking a seat down beside her. “Strong enough for you yet?”

Brienne sat up and rolled her eyes fondly, “I never said that you weren’t _strong_.”

Jaime shrugged, “I’ll touch my toes by the time that stamp card’s done.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Is that a challenge?”

Brienne huffed a laugh, “Sure, Jaime.”

“Then I’ll touch my toes,” he said. “You have a nice place, Brienne.”

She smiled as her fingers traced her comforter. “Thanks. I like it.”

“Your friends also don’t look like they’re hiding in the closet.”

Brienne snorted, “No. They aren’t in the _closet_.”

Jaime’s eyebrow shot up, “Are they somewhere else?”

“Did you not see the car parked across the street with the two girls in sunglasses and scarves?” Jaime blinked. “They were hardly inconspicuous, Jaime.”

“But they’re not… in here.”

“No.”

“Good.” A smirk grew on Jaime’s face as he fully turned towards her, his eyes suddenly dark, “Then I only have two more questions.”

Brienne blinked at him as her heart rate sped up and her core clenched. “What are they?”

Jaime leaned forward and pressed his lips to her ear. “Where’s _your_ Oathkeeper and can _I_ wield it? Hm. Actually, I’d like to meet your rabbit, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remix this week:
> 
> Author comment of the chapter:
> 
> Brienne cried out and slammed her palms against the wall behind Jaime’s headboard. She tried to lift off of him, but the tips of Jaime’s fingers dug into her thighs harder, holding her down on top of him as his sinful tongue devoured her.  
> \---> How do they get into this position? Jaime asks Brienne to kneel facing the head board with her knees spread. And she just thinks, "Okay, semi-wall sex, cool, cool, cool." Then Jaime just inserts his head underneath, and the rest is history.


	12. Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda, not just for betaing, but also for the existence of this chapter :D. Also apparently it has been one year since I was so wrought with emotion that I posted my first JB fic here on AO3. Granted, it was like 50 words long, but it was something xD.

Jaime’s request, because Brienne  _ knew _ it was a request and  _ not _ a question, was met with a hand quickly, but gently  _ shoved _ into his face. “Dinner first!” Brienne squeaked as she felt herself setting on fire. It didn’t help that Jaime’s body was aligned with hers, softly pressing her into her own mattress, a feeling she had begun to associate with...

He grabbed her wrist and kissed her palm, before drawing her hand away, revealing a leonine smirk. “If that’s what you want,” he purred, his tone dripping with a different kind of  _ want _ . Brienne grabbed a pillow and smushed it over her eyes and ears in defence. She was not going to get dragged into a scene pre-dinner by his wily charm. She had already cut aftercare short once today due to a rumbling stomach, and she wasn’t going to do it again. Brienne bit the inside of her cheek and groaned. Was that the only thing stopping her from ripping off his shirt at this very second? Ridiculous.

“Dinner!” She yelled into the mass of feathers.

Jaime chuckled at her muffled protestation. “Okay, Brienne. Dinner.” And then his weight lifted off of her.

Brienne lay there for a moment, in a daze, as she tried not to be too disappointed he hadn’t even tried to protest at least a little bit more. But then she shook herself of the disingenuous thought; him listening to her was for the better. Their push and pull wasn’t based on this kind of play. She threw the pillow off of her face and blinked at the hand that he was holding out to her. Taking it, she grinned up at him, “I need to prove to you that I can cook too.”

Jaime simply chuckled as he helped her to her feet.

They went to grab the groceries and Brienne quickly learned that Jaime was the annoying sort of person in the kitchen when someone else was cooking. Every time she turned around he was hovering over her shoulder, staring curiously at everything she was doing, down to the extremely boring act of chopping potatoes. Even when she explicitly gave him a task to do, he just didn’t stop talking. It was kind of nice when he wasn’t getting in her way, and he definitely livened up her kitchen. She was just so used to cooking in silence. Brienne inwardly cringed at how domestically her brain saw their situation. 

Jaime was her friend. 

Her friend that she had amazing, kinky, dripping with trust sex with.

But still just her friend.

She really hadn’t been looking for romance, but here she was. The box had only been acknowledged and slightly cracked open this morning and now all of the  _ feelings _ were pouring out in a monsoon of pure stupidity. Because this was stupid. Ruining what they had because she kind of adored Jaime was stupid. Silly and stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

But that bright smile he had shot her after he had sampled the sauce…

Brienne snapped her gaze back to her task at hand.

Damn it.

She never should have slept over.

* * *

Jaime hadn’t admitted that she was an amazing cook while they had been eating dinner, but the way that he had practically licked his plate clean was indication enough for her, and she felt a smug sense of satisfaction. Challenge won. 

She had sent him off to shower while she finished cleaning up in the kitchen, telling him she would shower after him. He had salaciously suggested that they shower together, but she had declined. Her bedroom was already filled with thoughts of him and would soon be filled with more, so she couldn’t have her shower be, too. 

Jaime came out of her washroom shirtless, damp hair slicked back, and pants riding obscenely low on his hips. Brienne nearly suggested starting their scene right then, but sense prevailed. So much for keeping thoughts of Jaime out of her shower. 

A knock sounded on her door just as she began shampooing her hair. “Brienne? Where are your sex toys and lube?”

She blinked and then her whole body heated up in both want and tenderness. He was taking the time to prep despite the spur of the moment nature of the scene. “Bottom drawer of my nightstand,” Brienne shouted in reply.

“Great.”

And since nothing else was said, Brienne assumed he had plodded away, back into her bedroom, to ransack her small drawer of personal sex toys. Brienne had to take a moment to rest her forehead on the cool tile of her shower before she literally raced through the rest of her cleansing routine. Back in her bedroom, she had considered putting on day clothes or her pajamas after showering, but knowing what was about to happen, she had opted for her only dressing gown instead and had taken it with her to the washroom. It was built more for comfort than for seduction, but the whole point of wearing it in the first place was that it wouldn’t be staying on that long anyways.

When she returned to her bedroom, she was met with a peculiar sight. Jaime was lying on her bed on his stomach, facing away from the door. He was talking, but the only things in front of him on the bed were her rabbit and Oathkeeper. Her bottle of lube was sitting on her nightstand. 

“I can’t presume to know everything about what a woman likes,” Jaime said, then pointed to each of them very seriously. Too seriously, “Tell me her secrets.”

“I cannot believe you are my dom,” Brienne said.

Jaime jerked and looked over his shoulder at her, an easy grin spreading on his face as though he hadn’t just been caught chatting with two inanimate objects, “We’ve all become friends while you were showering.”

“You are such a dork. And you know you could just ask me what I like.” Though he already knew basically everything she knew about what she liked. Somehow she wasn’t shy about telling… showing him  _ that _ .

“Let me borrow them after tonight.”

“Absolutely not, you doofus.”

Jaime’s eyes glinted wickedly as he curled his fingers at her as though asking her to come closer. She knew that was not the only kind of coming he was implying. “I promise you won’t even miss them.”

Brienne came over to the side of the bed and cursed her blush. It always gave her away. “You are such a dork,” she repeated.

Jaime sat up onto his knees and shimmed over to her. With him on the bed, they were face to face. “We can even consider tonight a down payment,” he grinned then surged forward to kiss her. 

Brienne squawked as Jaime used her surprise and his weight to cast her onto the mattress. 

He nuzzled her neck and played with the damp ends of her hair. “Tell me your favourite colour, Brienne.”

Brienne closed her eyes and prepared herself. She felt him drawing away to look at her as the seconds ticked by. Then she opened them, looked into his eyes and said, “Green.”

Immediately, Jaime was back on top of her, teeth and lips attacking the underside of her ear, hands undoing the knot at her waist. “Packaged like the perfect present,” Jaime growled as he managed to finally get the knot free and push open the two sides of her dressing gown. 

Brienne keened as Jaime shuffled down to take one of her puckered nipples into his mouth, sucking on the sensitive flesh until she squirmed and then moving on to the other one. 

Once he got Brienne panting with desire, he began to trace kisses down her navel. Brienne tensed in anticipation as he got closer and closer to her sex, but then felt his lips curl against her skin. “Tell me what you want, Brienne,” Jaime purred.

“I want you to…” Brienne breathed and then rubbed her thighs together.

To her shock, Jaime shook his head with a smirk on his face and moved back towards her head. His lips were against her ear, his hot body pressed against hers radiating warmth when he murmured, “You have to say it, Brienne,” And then the lilt of his voice became more teasing, “Or else how am I supposed to know what you want?”

Brienne gaped at him. “What?”

Jaime pulled away from her and she saw that his eyes were shining, wicked. “What do you want me to do?”

Brienne’s face flushed so red. “You know what I want you to do!”

Jaime hummed and hawed before he touched her waist, “Touch you here?”

“No!”

He pressed his lips to the inside of her elbow, “Kiss you here?”

“I want you to…” Brienne’s eyes flickered to where her thighs met.

Jaime raised an eyebrow and then his eyes sparkled, “Ah!” Once again he traced his way down her abdomen. He spread her thighs and knelt between them, his hands on her knees. Brienne sighed in relief as her hands clutched at her comforter. And then she felt a sharp pain on the inside of her thigh and she squeaked in surprise. “Bite you here?”

“Jaime!” Brienne whined, “You know perfectly well what I want.”

Jaime stared at her. She couldn’t even see his mouth, he was so perfectly positioned to do what she wanted him to. “I’ll only do exactly what you tell me to do tonight, wench.”

She pouted. “Is this your game tonight?”

He rested his cheek on her thigh and smiled serenely, “A fun game to play when you only have a couple toys at your disposal.”

Brienne bit her bottom lip and squeezed her eyes shut. From experience she knew how long Jaime could tease her for. He was unrelenting in his torment, and fuck… she loved it. “P-please,” Brienne whined, “Please,” she let out a long breath, “Please  _ lick _ me.”

The absolutely, infuriating bastard of a man swiped the flat of his tongue, wet and hard, over the bite mark on her thigh. She wanted to scream. By his amused chuckle, maybe she had.

Brienne threw her arms over her eyes, “Jaime! For the love of the Seven, I want you to perform cunnilingus!” She felt Jaime pause between her thighs. Brienne pursed her lips and continued to hide her face. Honestly, she wasn’t shocked at his reaction. What even  _ was _ that? That was _ not _ dirty talk.

“Well, for that kind of filthy language, wench,” Jaime chuckled, then his mouth was on her. Brienne’s hips bucked and she cried out as Jaime’s tongue went on her fast and hard. His mouth was everywhere and yet at singular points all at once. The brush of his teeth against her clit, his lips sucking on her folds, his tongue darting inside her, it was world shattering. 

Brienne’s hands found his golden locks, and she tried not to push or pull too hard, but he knew how to drive her wild. And even worse, he now knew how to keep her on the edge, without release, all while not pulling away from her at all. The dirty bastard was bringing back an old classic and levelling up. Bloody edging and bloody stupid her for loving the agonizing pleasure of it still. 

She was ready to shove his head away and finish herself off by the time he pulled away from her. He had left her wanting, glistening from her own arousal and his saliva, and certainly knew what she was thinking. His breath was warm on her ear, and she could smell the musk of her on his face, “Don’t you dare touch yourself, wench.”

Brienne whimpered.

Jaime raised an eyebrow at her, “Tell me your favourite colour, wench.”

“Green,” she pouted pathetically, hoping that maybe, maybe, if she made her eyes big and doe-like enough, he would fuck her to satisfaction. 

Jaime literally looked away and Brienne took note of the power of the look. She would bring it out another time perhaps, when her body wasn’t buzzing. “Move into the middle of your bed,” Jaime ordered as he reached for her lube, Oathkeeper, and her rabbit “Your toys and I are about to become much better acquainted.”

Brienne sat up and shifted around on her mattress, discarding her dressing gown to the floor all the while.

Jaime settled down beside her, his chest pressed to her right side and her arm slung behind his back. He set the toys down on her other side, within easy reach, and skimmed the skin of her arm with the tips of his fingers. He then leaned down to kiss her and she met his lips eagerly. The hand at his back gently scratched his shoulder blade, while her other hand traced patterns over his chest. She kept to straight lines and jagged edges, fearing what picture her fingers would paint if allowed to trace a curve. As his hand began to creep up her arm, to her shoulder and then to her cheek to deepen their kisses, hers did too. He held her face tenderly and she tried to do the same to him. They kissed and caressed until her body slowed to strum.

“You’re insidious,” Brienne murmured.

Jaime grinned against her cheek, “Well, you didn’t tell me what else you wanted me to do.”

“Let me come, maybe?” Brienne teased.

Jaime hummed, “Except that.”

“I feel like you already have a plan,” she flickered her eyes towards the toys.

Jaime’s serene smile pressed against the corner of her mouth, “I might. But I still want to hear you say it.”

Brienne huffed, “Use those toys on me, Jaime.”

He chuckled and kissed her, “To do what? Duel?”

“Gods,” Brienne couldn’t help but snicker. Then she leaned into him and murmured into his ear, “Fuck me with my toys, sir.”

She felt Jaime shiver against her, “As m—the wench commands.”

Jaime reached across here and popped open the bottle of lube, squeezing a generous amount onto both Oathkeeper and the rabbit. Brienne blinked in curiosity, “Why both?”

He bit her earlobe, “Don’t want either of them to feel abandoned or lonely.”

“You are such a dork.”

Jaime grinned and massaged the lube down Oathkeeper and the rabbit’s lengths, making sure that the little protrusion that was meant for her clit was also well coated. Brienne couldn’t take her eyes away from the movement. She wondered if this was how he stroked himself. And then she remembered. It was. 

He left the prepped toys on her bed and slid his slick hand over her hip and between her thighs. Brienne wailed in pleasure as two of his fingers slid into her to the third knuckle. The combination of her arousal, his spit and the lube made it easy for him to languidly slide in and out of her, the heel of his palm pressing into her clit and the tips of his fingers curling every time he was in deep. 

Brienne grasped at his shoulders desperately, her blunt nails scouring across the skin and digging into the muscle in a way that made him groan and move faster. When he dipped his head down to take one of her breasts back into his mouth his fingers disappeared from inside her and Brienne was about to let out a sound of protest when she felt something larger, and  _ thrusting _ , appear between her thighs. “Tell me what you want, Brienne,” Jaime growled against her skin, his teeth grazing over the sensitive bud. 

Her eyes snapped open -  _ when had she closed them _ \- and she begged, “Please, fuck me Jaime.” To emphasize her point, she spread her legs as much as she could without pushing him away. 

Jaime’s ran the warm flat of his tongue over her nipple just as the tip of Oathkeeper entered her, its thrusting motion causing all of her nerves to light. Brienne felt all of her muscles tense in pleasure and one of her hands ran through Jaime’s hair to drag his face back up to her. She kissed him with all that she was worth. It was the most dominant thing she had done thus far. Jaime grinned against her mouth, “I give you even the littlest amount of freedom and you just—“

Brienne nibbled on his bottom lip and Jaime sighed into the kiss, their tongues dancing around each other. Maybe if she distracted him for long enough she would be able to—

He turned off the toy and pulled it out of her just as she was about to come.

Brienne turned her lips away from him in a pout. Jaime chuckled into the skin of her jaw. “I told you,” he continued to laugh, “I don’t want your rabbit to feel abandoned and lonely.”

“You are infuriating,” Brienne hissed as she turned back to him and squirmed. “I swear, Jaime…”

His eyes were alight, “Swear what, wench?”

“I swear if you don’t use that rabbit on me to make me come, I will—“

She hadn’t realized that he had already exchanged the toys, but the new vibrations against her wet folds were clear enough. She squeaked in surprise again, and the head of the vibrator dived into her, the arm pressing against her clit. 

The orgasm came over her so hard and so fast that the vision of Jaime in front of her seemed to glow. He was just so beautiful, and handsome, and kind, and, oh god… her feelings for him rushed through her almost harder than her orgasm did. 

As she continued to come, Jaime prolonged her pleasure by thrusting the toy into and against her, twisting it experimentally. She must’ve been making sounds of pleasure, for he seemed to eventually fall into almost a perfect rhythm. Only almost perfect, because it seemed like his pace was slowing. 

He  _ was _ slowing, his arm was tiring…  _ his hand was hurting _ . The orgasm faded and she signalled to him that she was done. Jaime acquiesced immediately, something that was so unlike him that she immediately knew that her pleasure hazed mind had been right. His hand had been bothering him all morning, and although it had seemed to improve throughout the day, it was hurting him again.

She didn’t know what expression he had seen on her face, but the first thing he said after throwing the toy aside was, “Sorry.” He even winced as though she was going to strike him. 

“Don’t be sorry!” Brienne replied as she rolled them both over so that he was on his back, his weight off of his arms. Jaime looked up at her with a confused expression on his face. “You should have told me that you were hurting!”

“It only just started acting up,” he muttered and looked away from her, “I can still fuck you if you w—“

“Don’t be absurd,” Brienne berated sternly, “I’ve had my fun. The rest of this isn’t about me.” He looked back at her, only looking more confused. Brienne blushed and bit her bottom lip, “What about you? You didn’t get to…”

Jaime smiled at her fondly. There was no more being brave for her. “I’m okay, Brienne. I got plenty of pleasure from seeing you enjoy yourself.”

Brienne’s eyes flickered all over his face. He seemed to be completely sincere, but still, she didn’t think it was  _ fair _ . And then an idea came to her mind. She blushed scarlet red and Jaime’s eyebrows rose. Maybe she could be brave one more time, “Do you want me to… I can…” she really wondered how close to a tomato she was getting, “I did express wanting to try.”

Jaime finally seemed to understand where she was going, and even his cheeks turned a little bit pink, “You don’t have to, Brienne.”

“But I  _ want _ to,” she emphasized.

“Are you sure? We only just renegotiated it this morning.”

“It’s been on my mind for far longer,” she admitted.

That seemed to stop Jaime in his tracks. “Oh. Only if you’re sure, though. And I’m not going… I’m not going to dom you, not this time.”

Brienne swallowed, “That’s okay.”

Jaime swallowed as well, “Okay.”

It was excruciatingly embarrassing, pulling Jaime’s pants off. But by the time she got situated on her stomach between his legs, with his hard cock in the palm of her hand in front of her face and him meeting her gaze behind that, it wasn’t so bad. She really liked that she would be able to see him while she…

Jaime groaned and flopped back a little bit more, before pushing himself back up on the pillows to watch her again. “I’m not going to last very long if you keep doing that.”

Brienne blinked. She hadn’t even done anything. “Doing what?”

“Looking at me like that,” Jaime sighed.

She allowed a smile to curl around her lips. And then she stuck her tongue out and took one hard swipe from base to tip. Jaime shuddered and moaned, and she liked the sound that came from him - so she did it again. After getting the same response, Brienne wrapped her lips around the tip of his cock and hollowed out her cheeks, wanting to increase his pleasure. She wanted to discover every movement and action that would make him hiss and squirm. Was this what it was like for him to go down on her? 

“Fuck,” Jaime growled as his hands curled into her pillows. She wondered what it would be like to have his hands in her hair while she did this. She  _ knew _ he would be gentle.

Slowly she lowered herself down the length of his shaft until his tip touched the back of her mouth. That was far enough for her, so she slid back up, sliding her hand along with her lips. 

Brienne grinned at the way that movement almost made Jaime curse and tense, his eyes rolling up to the back of his head. So she went faster and again and again. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Jaime swore as his hips jerked awkwardly. She realized that he was trying to hold himself back and the thoughtfulness made her hum.

Apparently, that was all he needed from her. 

“Shit Brienne, I’m coming,” Jaime warned and tried to jerk himself out of her mouth, but she held fast as he came onto her tongue. His taste wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t terrible either. It was a little bit bitter, a little bit musky, and quite salty. She swallowed it all down and gently lapped at the remaining cum glistening on his cock. 

When she looked back up at him, he had his face in his hands and his chest was rising and falling abnormally quick. “Was that okay?”

“Fuck sake, Brienne,” Jaime’s muffled voice growled, “I haven’t come that quickly since I was a bloody teenager.”

That only made her laugh. 

And then she crawled up to settle in beside him and wordlessly demanded her aftercare. Jaime wrapped her up in his arms and swung his leg over her hip with no preamble needed. 

“Do you need anything?” Jaime asked after a couple moments.

Brienne shook her head. She knew it was dangerous territory to be treading into, but she thought she could do it, only say it as long as it was in this context. “I’m happy with just you.”

* * *

_ Whomp, whomp. _

Brienne opened her front door, slipped off her shoes, and sorted through her small pile of mail, throwing any fliers and junk that she found into her recycling bin.

_ Whomp, whomp.  _

Brienne tried not to roll her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile that came to her face. She pulled out her phone and threw the rest of her mail onto her living room table. She would get back to that later.

_ The Idiot: And I thought I worked late tonight _

_ The Idiot: On your way home? _

_ The Idiot: Get home safe _

_ The Idiot: You home yet? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: What if I told you I was still at the office _

_ The Idiot: I would say that your work ethic is admirable _

_ The Idiot: But also you didn’t reply _

_ The Idiot: So I assumed commuting _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: And what if your assumptions were unfounded _

_ The Idiot: But they aren’t _

_ The Idiot: Because you are home _

_ The Idiot: Cause otherwise you wouldn’t have made being at work hypothetical _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Infuriating _

_ The Idiot: Going to call you _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Go on _

Her phone rang a moment later. Picking it up, she brought it to her ear, “You’re like a child.”

“Many have said.”

“What’s so urgent?”

“Nothing, I just thought it would be better to talk to you rather than text.” 

Brienne didn’t believe him one bit. She could hear the ulterior motive in his voice, but let it pass. It had been a very long time since he had called her, and somehow hearing his voice through a metal device made her want to clench her thighs. Talk about a Pavlovian response. “Alright, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“So you know how we renegotiated the contract?”

Brienne smiled and touched her lips, “Yes.”

“Well, I was going through our trunk and I realized there are some things we could get, and since you said—“

“You want to go shopping.”

“Oh, something doesn’t make Miss Tarth shy. How intriguing.”

A shiver ran down her spine. The conniving man, he was definitely aiming for something. Brienne veered towards her bedroom preemptively. “I know a good shop, we can go there.”

“Tomorrow after work? Unless you’re busy again?”

“I should be finishing up what kept me late today on time tomorrow. So that works.” Brienne undid the buttons of her pants and slipped them off of her legs.

“Great. Text me the details of the place.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” Jaime paused and Brienne waited as she started stripping out of her blouse. “So, what are you wearing?”

“Black panties and a yellow bralette.”

A choking sound came from the other end. “And?”

Brienne grinned, “And what?”

“Ugh, Brienne, you’re killing me. Tell me your favourite colour.”

She hummed for a moment, long enough for Jaime to grunt at her, before she slid onto her bed, “Green.”

“If I was there I wouldn’t even take those panties off of you, I’d just pull them aside and fuck you, treat you like the seductress that you are.”

“Hard for me, sir?” Brienne moaned as she slid her hand below the band of her panties and started rubbing her clit in slow circles. Jaime could get her wet quickly, but when it was just herself, thrusting her fingers straight into her vagina was not the most pleasant of experiences, and she was too preoccupied to pull out the lube… yet.

“Unbelievably so, wench.”

“Are you…?” She imagined stroking him herself, and then imagined her tongue and hands replacing his own. Brienne remembered the way that he had shuddered under her and inside her mouth, the way that his eyes had burned like wildfire.

“I am, but now that I know the touch of your hand,” Jaime purred, “Do you want to touch me again?”

“Gods, yes,” Brienne murmured and squirmed. She slid two fingers up and down her seam and hummed in pleasure.

“Imagine me flipping you onto your hands and knees, taking you from behind again as my hand curls in your hair. The mirror back in front of us, of course. I do like it when you’re forced to watch me fuck you.”

Brienne panted in pleasure, “Do you like it when I rock back into you, sir?”

“I love it when you fuck my cock with your cunt.”

Brienne felt herself blush so hard at his language, and her fingers became coated in a new wave of her arousal. “You’re shameless, Jaime,” Brienne murmured and slowly slid one finger into herself.

“Would you like it if I also played with your ass?”

Brienne’s eyes shot open, “Oh!”

“My fingers would be slick with lube and I’d go slow. Let you see what it feels like to have me moving  _ in _ you. Would you like that, Brienne?”

Brienne nearly choked on her words as her core clenched, “I’d… I’d really like that.”

“I’d start with just one finger, see how you like it. Small, slow movements.”

The idea of his finger in her ass while his cock fucked her was a much more pleasant image than she had ever thought it would be. Just the feeling of safety and trust while he was  _ in  _ her, sent waves of pleasure through her.

And then her phone started screeching.

“Oh gods!” Brienne cried as she pulled it away from her ear and saw Galladon Duncan Tarth flashing on the screen. The picture of her brother’s nose immediately killed her libido. She rejected his video call.

“What was that? Are you okay?”

Brienne scrambled for the right words, “I’m so sorry, my brother called,” Brienne whined in frustration, “I can’t continue after that.”

Jaime chuckled, only a hint of disappointment in his voice, “That’s okay, I wouldn’t be able to either.”

“I’m so sorry.” Her phone started ringing again. She rejected Galladon’s call again. “I’m just going to keep getting calls until I pick up, though. He’s relentless. I’ll text you though, I promise.”

“No worries, I understand. Have a good night?”

“You too, Jaime. And um… maybe we can continue this… in person sometime.”

Jaime chuckled lowly and she wondered if he would be finishing himself off after they hung up, “I’ll remember that.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.” Jaime hung up and Galladon called again not even a second later.

Brienne accepted the call. “You ruin lives!” Brienne shouted first thing when her brother’s face appeared.

“Hello to you too, Cheesy!!!” Galladon grinned.

Brienne stuck her tongue out at him.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I guess we still haven’t quite figured out this long distance aftercare thing yet, have we? _

__

“Are you… are you naked?”

“I was getting ready for bed, Galpal.  _ Relaxing _ ,” Brienne gritted through clenched teeth. She was terrible at lying, but it wasn’t  _ untrue. _

__

_ The Idiot: Sometimes there just isn’t a solution to everything _

__

Galladon blinked at her, “You seem to be doing great.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Galladon guffawed, “Why wouldn’t you be?”

__

_ The Idiot: And that’s okay _

__

“Shut up. What are you talking about?”

“I thought you would still be down about Red. I’m happy you aren’t, good fucking riddance, but thought you would be.”

“Why would I be down about that asshole?”

__

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: If you’re still awake after, I’ll call you back? _

__

“Seven, it’s like you’ve forgotten what you were like after you broke up with Hyle.”

Brienne paused, “Oh, oh… I see your point.”

Galladon grinned at her, “Seriously though, Cheesy, whatever you’re doing to get over that bastard, keep doing it. But also stop texting and pay attention to me, Brie!”

__

_ The Idiot: I’d like that _

Brienne did wonder if her investment in Jaime was becoming too great. What would happen if he realized how she felt about him? Would he feel weird? Would he be repulsed? Brienne Tarth, good enough to be a friend, but not to be a… No, she couldn’t even think the word. 

If he ever found out, would they be over?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda beta comment of the chapter:  
> Oh gods. The Ties That Bing is growing in length. Just as Jaime's dick in Margaery's messages is
> 
> And a message from lewispanda: Happy Birthday to my best friend in the whole world. <3 May it be wonderful, even during those odd time.


	13. Blindfolds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

Brienne looked quickly left and right before she hurriedly crossed the street. Although her workday had been scheduled to end at its typical time, her last meeting had gone over by about fifteen minutes and she was still jittery from the entire experience. It was the first time she had felt the need to turn down a contract, but honestly, the Bolton’s had given her the creeps. Although she had worked with highly suspicious people before, namely Renly and his fabulous fluctuating moods on how much control he wanted to have over the building of the Baratheon Estates,  _ 1000% to none _ , the Bolton’s had given off the air of being suspicious  _ and _ dangerous - the kind she wouldn’t be able to wrangle down even with an iron-clad business contract. 

Turning down a contract from suspiciously dangerous people had been near heart stopping and Podrick had helpfully talked her through breathing exercises for about ten minutes after the Bolton’s had left. The only thing that had given her strength had been the fact that young, inexperienced Ramsey Bolton had ranted about how several other contractors had refused their contract as well, listing companies she had worked with and respected, such as Hightower Heights and Croft’s Realtors. He even mentioned the few companies which she hadn’t worked with yet, such as Burning Bright Enterprises, and it made her instantly respect them a little bit.

However, the ordeal had made her significantly late. Almost a half hour late. Brienne scanned all the people milling around on the street. Thankfully, it seemed like Jaime was behind schedule as well. Either that or he had left, but she knew now that he would have texted her if that was the case. She reached for her phone to notify him that she had arrived.

A hand tapped her on the shoulder and she turned around to see Jaime dressed in a white, fitted shirt and black trousers, the end of his tie tucked into his breast pocket. A sheen of sweat was visible on his brow and his breathing was a bit more heavy than usual. He looked as though he had just completed a sprint. “Sorry for being late,” he huffed, “Were you waiting long?”

Brienne shook her head, “I just got here, too.”

Jaime sighed in relief, “Oh, good. I completely lost track of time after one of my partners called me about a report I sent him. It was a bit of a hoopla. Sometimes he forgets about the concept of working hours.”

“A hoopla.”

Jaime smirked and straightened up. Suddenly he seemed pristine again and Brienne’s eye twitched. “Oh yes, a hoopla.”

She shook her head, “Are you ready to go, then?”

“Honestly, Brienne, the real question is if  _ you _ are, because I’m almost sure that since I’ve known you, you’ve  _ only _ been able to articulate  _ once _ the things that we—“

Brienne shoved her hand into Jaime’s face and he chuckled into her palm. “Stop! I know the owner of the store, if you embarrass me…!”

“Then you’ll...?”

She pursed her lips as she thought, before an idea sprung to her mind, “I won’t make you breakfast for dinner anymore!”

He gasped in shock, holding a hand to his heart, “Introduce me to the concept of eggs benny at dinner and then take it away so cruelly? How could you ever withhold your traditional Tarth family hollandaise recipe from me?”

Brienne playfully stuck her tongue out at him, “I will take every leverage I have. Now this way. The entrance to Asha’s is around the corner.”

Jaime grinned at Brienne and she led him around the corner to an alleyway where all of the brick walls were decorated with kraken themed pop art. There were caricatures of beasts from the deep, ships and pirates, all coloured with deep greens and blues cut through with sea foam teals and streaks of bright purple and pink. And if one looked very closely, there was a kraken at the far end of the alley whose tentacles were made completely out of penises, and  _ boy _ , was it being slayed by the avenging lady pirate with a very big sword. “I’m going to guess that’s this mysterious Asha,” Jaime said as he winced at the image of one of the tentacle penises being slashed in half lengthwise.

Brienne shrugged, “Looks like her. Her family has a lot of men who think that on the sole characteristic of having a penis, they deserve more than her.”

“The funny thing is that they’re too busy comparing dick sizes to realise that I’m by far the most successful one,” a voice chimed out from an open door opposite the penis kraken mural. Brienne turned around and waved at Asha, “Saw you coming on my cameras and I just couldn’t wait to meet your  _ friend. _ ”

“How many times has Margaery been here?” Brienne asked bluntly.

Asha grinned, “Plenty. Apparently, you won’t need to go into aisle 2.”

Brienne shook her head then rolled her eyes, “I need to talk to that girl.”

Asha laughed, “She’s just excited for you, but yes, I would put down my foot before she goes telling her grandmother about—“

“She already knows,” Brienne said.

“Olenna Tyrell knows we’re having sex?” Jaime asked, his eyes widening, “Oh gods, she does. Oh gods, she knows that I—, oh Seven.” Brienne internally grimaced at the fact that not only did Olenna know that they were in a BDSM sexual relationship, but she was a moderator on Seven Silks and Sands, too. She wasn’t going to expose poor Jaime to that news yet, though. It wasn’t the time.

“Well,” Asha said, as she turned her eyes to study Jaime. Brienne turned to look at him, too, and just caught him looking away from her. “You got to give it to Margaery, she won’t tell anybody that doesn’t love you, Brienne. Anyways, come on in. And oh, sorry, my name is Asha. Asha Greyjoy.”

Jaime stepped up to the woman and held out his hand for her to take, “Jaime Lannister.”

Asha let out a low whistle, “Didn’t know  _ that _ . Big name.”

He shrugged, “Not because of me. I am who  _ I _ am.”

Asha seemed to appraise him as Brienne saddled up to his side, “So I’ve heard through the grapevine - or the penis-vine, so to say.”

Jaime snorted in amusement as Brienne raised an eyebrow and then they both followed Asha inside. Her shop was just as colourfully decorated inside as it was outside. There was pop art all over the place, much more of it sex themed than just the one penis kraken outside, but overall it was a well lit, roomy, hole in the wall.

“If you need anything, you know where to find me,” Asha grinned. Her eyes then flashed and she gave them a wink, “Have fun.”

“Oh gods,” Brienne muttered as she turned bright pink.

“You blush  _ now _ ?” Jaime laughed.

“Just shush and come here. Let’s get this over with and find some more stuff for our box of sexy things.”

Jaime raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips curling into a grin, “The box of sexy things?”

“I just realized that I have only ever called it that in my head.”

“The box of sexy things,” he repeated.

“Oh, shut up.”

“Time to find some additional pieces for our box of sexy things!”

“You’re never going to let this go, are you?”

A smirk graced Jaime’s face, “Never.” However, at that exact moment, Brienne saw him wince and his right hand clench.

“Is your hand hurting?”

Jaime sighed, “It’s been bothering me all day, but it’s not intolerable.”

Brienne frowned as she took his hand in hers and ran her thumbs over his pinky and ring finger, where she had found out the last time the pain seemed to be concentrated, “I never asked. What’s wrong with it?”

He shifted and looked around. They were the only ones in the store and Asha had disappeared. “Pinched nerve,” he said, quietly and tersely.

Brienne looked up at Jaime appraisingly as his hand clenched again in her grip and his other hand went to massage his triceps, “It has to be more than that. I know a lot of people who have pinched their nerves and it usually goes away with a little bit of rest and a couple anti-inflammatories.”

“It depends on the mode of injury. Sometimes a pinched nerve can be a minor inconvenience, sometimes permanent damage can result.”

Brienne pressed her lips together, then brought Jaime’s hand up to her lips, touching them gently to where the numbness and pain seemed to most acutely affect him. She didn’t need to ask which end of the spectrum he was on. He had already told her weeks before. “If you ever need anything for it, tell me. I’ll be happy to help you.”

Jaime stared at her for a heartbeat, his eyes flickering down to her lips before going back to her eyes. He then reversed the tension of her hold on his hand and brought her knuckles up to his lips, “Thank you,” he said, then kissed her ring finger.

“Alright then, box of sexy things shopping.”

Jaime grinned, “I’m glad you’re just owning it.”

Brienne snorted and bumped him playfully with her hip, “That’s the only way I can survive around you.”

The first aisle they headed to was the rope section. “Nice, she actually has wheels so that we can choose our desired lengths,” Jaime muttered as he appraised the selection of 4mm rope in front of him. “Pretty important since you’re so tall.”

Brienne flushed, “Get what you need, then.”

Jaime frowned, scanning the wall of ropes, “She doesn’t have the right colour.”

“Does colour really matter that much?”

“Does she do custom orders?”

“I don’t know, Jaime!”

He grinned at her, “Where does she haunt? I’m going to go ask if she does custom orders.”

“There’s a blue right there if you like blue so much!”

Jaime shook his head, “It’s not the  _ right _ shade of blue.”

Brienne huffed and waved him in the direction of the backroom. Jaime grinned then disappeared behind a bunch of shelves. She huffed again and stared at the blue that Jaime had so callously rejected. It was a  _ fine  _ shade of blue. What was the man being so picky about anyways? 

Turning on her heel Brienne made her way to the blindfolds section. When she got there, a feeling crawled up the back of her neck that made her feel as though every item in it had eyes that were watching her. Brienne slowed down her movements and almost began to tiptoe down the aisle. She bit her lip as she came upon the thick, silky blindfolds, and scanned the selection. The moment she saw it, her hand shot out and she grabbed the emerald green one, ready to run away the moment it was in her hand. Then she paused and thumbed the sample blindfold nervously. The silk was as soft as it looked. 

Brienne dashed back out of the aisle so that the eyes would stop staring at her. 

She could still hear Jaime and Asha talking at the counter when she came upon the gags. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the spider and ring gags that were on display. Although the whole concept of them was somewhat intriguing, at the moment they just weren’t the type she was looking for. Brienne moved on to the ball, bit, and panel gags. These were more along the lines of what she wanted to buy right now. She looked further down the aisle. The rest of the options were too intense for her to even consider at the moment. 

Reaching out, Brienne touched the samples of the different types of gags, wondering which one she should purchase. 

“There you are. Oh!” Jaime said as he came to stand beside her.

Brienne looked over at him, “Which one do you think would be best?”

“Do you really want my opinion on this?”

She flushed slightly, “Yes. I mean, you’re part of the scene, too, and you probably know more about these things than I do.”

Jaime gave her a small smile, “The bit, then. Less material to block sound.”

“Block… Jaime!”

He grinned and raised his hands up in defense, “Just my opinion. Give me one second.” And with that he disappeared again. Brienne frowned at the gags and nearly grabbed a ball gag in spite, but then she paused. Jaime  _ liked _ hearing her. No, he actively  _ didn’t want to not hear her _ . Huffing Brienne grabbed the first bit gag on the hook before Jaime reappeared at her side. “Oh, don’t get black, that’s boring. At least grab the blue.”

“What is wrong with you and the colour blue?” Brienne asked, but shuffled through the bit gags anyways to find a blue one.

“Turns out Asha does do custom orders, so I’ll have to come back and pick that up in a couple weeks,” Jaime grinned. 

Brienne furrowed her eyebrows as something didn’t seem to make sense to her. She frowned; there was no point trying to solve the mystery of Jaime’s colour preference while routing through a sex shop. Brienne found a blue bit gag and put the black one back. As she backed away from the rack of items, Jaime’s gently grabbed one of her hands and placed something in it. “If we’re going to play with something that’s going to prevent you from easily articulating our safe words, then we’re also going to have to get something like this.”

Brienne stared at the item in her hand and fiddled with a button on the side as Jaime beamed at her. When she pressed it, the small innocuous object blasted the sound of police sirens for the whole store to hear and she nearly jumped out of her shoes. Brienne let go of the item in surprise and Jaime caught it in mid air before it dropped to the floor. “Okay,” Brienne swallowed as she tried to get her heart under control, “Can we get one that makes a sound less likely to give me a heart attack if I use it?”

Jaime grinned at her. “Sure.”

They eventually settled on an alarm that roared like a dragon that was about to breath fire. This particular alarm also functioned in a way that she could click it a different number of times to produce a different number of roars, which could represent the “yellow” and “red” gradings of their safe words rather than the one option of a complete “red” bail out that the first alarm had. 

They grabbed a couple more items and were at the counter with Brienne ready to pay, when Jaime suddenly perked up, “I forgot. We’re running low on that lube you like.”

“Alrea—“ Asha started then looked at Brienne, “You go girl.”

Brienne just turned bright red, “I’ll be right back!”

She marched down the lube aisle and grabbed two bottles of her favourite brand before making her way back. However, on her not quite as much of a march back, Brienne noticed a shelf of items.

When she appeared back at the counter, she dropped the two bottles of lube on the surface and held her open palm out to Asha. Sitting on her hand was a set of two rings. “Do you have other designs for these?”

Asha shook her head, “No. They’re from a small company on Bear Island so everything they make has little bears on them.”

“I totally understand that,” Jaime muttered under his breath. “What are those?” he asked as he reached for one of the rings.

Brienne turned to him excitedly as she held the larger of the two rings towards him. “You know those long distance lamps that were all the rage a couple of years ago? A person touches their lamp and the other one glows. These rings do the same thing.”

Jaime’s eyebrows furrowed, “Okay?” he muttered as he turned the bigger of the two rings in his hand. It was almost completely black except for the shadow of a silver bear prowling and a sliver of silver cutting through the middle of the ring. 

She slipped her completely black ring onto the only finger that it would snuggly fit on and gestured for Jaime to do the same. “Apparently the dark metal is composed of some sort of carbon nanomaterial that can be used to transmit signals between the paired rings.” The design of her ring was just the bear and the circlet, the exact opposite of Jaime’s.

“Your ability to absorb all of the information on a pamphlet is quite frankly astonishing.” Brienne grinned at Jaime’s words as he tried to find a finger where his ring would fit. It managed to nudge past the second knuckle of his fourth finger. 

“Your body heat powers it, so they don’t work unless they’re on,” Brienne continued happily. She swiped her thumb over the shadow of the bear on her ring.

The black part of Jaime’s ring began to glow a soft blue colour, framing the shadow of the bear that cut through the jewelry. 

Brienne beamed at him radiantly, “Long distance aftercare!” The moment she had seen the pamphlet, all other thoughts had left her mind. The rings would be a perfect way for them to feel close even when they were apart. No more incidents’ like the previous night.

Jaime’s jaw dropped in surprise as though he hadn’t even guessed that was where she had been going. Slowly, his thumb went to touch the bear on his ring. Brienne felt delighted as her bear, her whole ring, started to glow blue as well. “Long distance aftercare,” he murmured softly.

“Oh holy Seven. What. The. Fuck.”

They both turned towards Asha as she stared deadpanned at their matching rings - and where they were worn on both of their hands. “What?” They both asked at the same time and then shot each other sly smiles.

“Mother, Maiden, and Crone, you two fucks don’t even know.”

* * *

Unlike how their scenes usually started, suddenly or desperate and passionate, this time their scene began slowly and gently. When they entered Jaime’s place, he immediately pulled her towards the couch and onto his lap, kissing her tenderly first on the lips, before tracing a path down her neck, shoulder, and arm, eventually planting a kiss on the little black bear that was nestled above her knuckle. 

Brienne sighed happily as she ran her hand down his torso, fingertips playing with his belt buckle before she decided instead to go and untuck his shirt. 

Jaime went back to kissing her lips, his thumbs caressing near the corners of her eyes as she, next, yanked on his tie and slowly undid the knot. The fabric fluttered to the floor and Brienne’s fingers fiddled with his buttons. 

“You always want to undress me,” Jaime purred as his teeth scrapped at the lobe of her ear.

Brienne hummed, “Let me have my fill of seeing you before…” She blushed.

He pulled back as Brienne continued to undo his shirt. “Are you sure that you want to try that tonight? We don’t have to use it right away.”

She finished undoing the buttons of his shirt and gently let the fabric swing open. Brienne put one of her hands over his heart and the other on his cheek. Looking straight into his eyes, she said, “I trust you.”

Jaime grunted as he leaned forward again to kiss her and she pulled off his shirt while running her hands over his shoulders. Her fingers traced patterns into his golden skin, skittering over his chest and abs and brushing gently over his nipples. Jaime hissed at the contact but pressed himself into her touch. “Okay then,” and then he swallowed a touch of nervousness clouding his voice, “See me and take your fill, wench.”

Brienne hummed again happily, a smile on her face as she backed away from him to admire the man she had come to trust, had come to be such great friends with. Although this had been the purpose of her signing up for Seven Silks and Sands, it was still beyond her comprehension that she had gotten this lucky. She nearly missed the frown on his face as she shifted slightly away from him, but the remnants of it were still there when she looked back up at his face. “Should we move this to your bedroom?”

Jaime nodded, “Take the stuff up and I’ll join you in a second. I expect you to be naked when I get there, Brienne.”

She flushed and hurriedly stood from the couch, scrambling to grab their items from Asha’s and dashing up the stairs. 

As she frantically pulled her clothes off, her ring began to glow blue and she wondered why it was that Jaime was rubbing his ring instead of just coming to find her. Slowly, she brought her hand up to touch the small bear, and as though it were a signal to call, Jaime was suddenly there in his room, his ring glowing too. 

She didn’t even have a moment to get the words out before Jaime set something down and practically tackled her onto the bed, her bralette and panties still on because she hadn’t had enough time to get to them yet. “Fuck, Brienne,” Jaime growled as his lips and teeth marked the crook of her neck. Her hands landed on his back and the tips of her fingers found the curve of his spine. He moaned in pleasure and he etched more and more marks onto her skin. 

Just as suddenly as he had come in, Jaime was off of her again and routing through the bag of things they had just purchased. He came out with the emerald green blindfold. “I forgot to point out that this isn’t going to match everything else we have in our box of sexy things,” Jaime murmured with a frown as he tore open the packaging. 

Brienne sat up and laughed as he held the silk in his hands. “Well, everything can’t be blue,” she looked up and met Jaime’s eyes, “And green is a nice colour as well.”

His eyebrow quirked, “Your favourite colour?”

Brienne couldn’t help the giggles that came out of her mouth, “Right now? Certainly.”

Jaime prowled right back to her side and gestured at her to shift to the middle of the mattress where she would be able to lie down comfortably. But before she could move there, Jaime twirled his finger to get her to turn around. “Tell me if it’s too loose or too tight.”

“Okay,” she said. Jaime then slipped the blindfold over her head and his brightly lit bedroom disappeared into the dark. She took in a deep breath as she tried to engage her other senses and  _ not  _ let her nerves get the better of her. Brienne could hear Jaime breathing behind her, she could feel him tying the blindfold, she could feel the desire coursing through her veins. She was safe. She trusted Jaime. He  _ saw _ her. 

The blindfold tightened over her eyes and Brienne indicated to Jaime that it felt secure. “Good.” She felt the whole palm of his hand on her arm. “You okay? Your breathing’s picked up and you’re very tense. We don’t have to do this. I can take the blindfold off.”

“Sorry,” Brienne murmured as she shook her head, “It’s just a bit of an automatic stress response, just give me a moment. I want to do this,” she replied as she laid back down as he had told her before.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Brienne flushed and wrung her hands as an idea popped into her mind. “You can tell me, Brienne.”

“When you kiss me during aftercare it always centers me really quickly. Maybe um…” Brienne turned around and reached out in the direction of Jaime’s voice.

He grabbed her hand and kissed the inside of her palm before she felt him shift and his warmth encompass her. At first it was just the chaste brush of his lips against hers but as she responded to his comforting touch, his kiss became deeper, his hand cupping the back of her head as his teeth and tongue explored her. Brienne sighed into the kiss and her muscles began to relax as she felt herself almost melt into his embrace. “Is it helping?” he whispered against her lips.

“Just keep kissing me, Jaime.”

It took her a little more time until she was comfortable not being able to see and feel him, but even after they had stopped kissing, he continued to make it known in little ways that he was in the room and near her. Whether he would deliberately thump around or press more weight onto his mattress so that she could feel it sink where he was, she could always locate him and know that he hadn’t abandoned her. Maybe abandonment was a ‘hard no’ for her, too. 

“I’m going to introduce you to a couple new sensations, Brienne. If you don’t like them, tell me.”

She nodded as she felt Jaime shift. Then a light ticklish feeling swept over her thigh. Brienne lurched and giggled, “What was that?” she exclaimed as the feeling swept up her tummy and then her arm and neck to dance over her face. She waved her arms to try and get rid of it and Jaime chuckled as he grabbed one of her hands and entwined his fingers with hers, then held it down to the mattress beside her head. 

“Now, now, Brienne. I said you could tell me that you didn’t like something and I would stop, but I never said that you could just bat it out of my hand.”

“You’re so obnoxious, Jaime,” Brienne laughed as she swatted at the thing with her other hand to make a  _ point _ . 

The tickling feeling disappeared and was replaced by silk sliding around her wrists. “It’s the same knot as our first time,” Jaime said as she felt the silk tighten. Although her hands were now bound, he didn’t untwine his fingers from hers. Brienne breathed as she remembered the knot. She was  _ safe _ , safe even if he hadn’t just tied a simple bow. All she had to do was tell him red and it would all end. 

“Okay,” Brienne murmured.

That was when she felt Jaime’s other hand pull down the cup of her bralette and felt his hot breath waft over her puckered nipple. Brienne squirmed at the sensation, but the warmth was soon replaced with a different feeling entirely, and Brienne squawked at the coldness of ice on her skin before Jaime’s hot tongue lapped away at the cool water. 

She whined as he sucked, his teeth gently braising the sensitive nub as he threw his weight over her and straddled her thighs. The other cup of her bralette was pulled down, and this time the cold ice drew a path around her small breast before it swept up over her aching bud and then her neck. Just as before, the moment the ice left her skin, Jaime’s tongue replaced it. 

“You’re being a tease,” Brienne muttered petulantly while she squirmed at the sensation of him once again sucking at the crook of her neck. 

The ticklish feeling came back over her tummy. Jaime untwined his fingers from hers and she felt him move down so that he was settled between her legs. “Oh, Brienne,” he crooned as she felt his fingers hook into the sides of her panties. “I haven’t even begun.”

It turned out that although looking him in the eye while he went down on her tended to send her over the edge, it wasn’t even close to necessary. 

* * *

“Today… turned out to be a good day,” Brienne murmured as she snuggled deeper into Jaime’s embrace and drank her mug of hot honey lemon water. The whole Bolton fiasco seemed like a lifetime ago now.

His finger paused in its tracing of the freckles on the exposed part of her thigh. He then smiled and continued on tracing lines, “It was a good day. Why did Asha name her shop ‘The Quiet Isle’?”

Brienne smiled, “I don’t actually know, but it’s how I found it.”

Jaime hummed and smiled, potentially recalling her favourite room at the Tyrell Solarium, “Of course that’s how.”

“I don’t usually get to see you right after work,” Brienne murmured as she nuzzled his temple and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Jaime, however, frowned and stopped the movement of his fingers altogether. Brienne blinked owlishly as he leaned back,  _ away _ from her, and assessed her. “That’s right. You’ve spent all late afternoon and evening with me,” he looked away. “You can leave now if you want. It’s been more than an hour even.”

Brienne frowned. She had actually been considering asking him if she could stay the night and maybe just wake up early in the morning to go back to her place to get a change of clothes for her workday. “Do you want me to leave, Jaime?”

Jaime’s eyebrows furrowed. His reply was so quiet it nearly dissolved into the night. “No.”

Brienne swallowed, “Then can I…”

He looked at her. 

Brienne’s heart beat in her chest. 

She remembered Jaime scrambling to get away from her the morning she had woken up in his bed.

He was being hesitant.

He had asked if she had wanted to leave after so many other scenes before.

He was just accommodating her.

Her and her stupid need for intimacy outside of what bound them.

Just because she had told him about Hyle didn’t mean that they were more than just friends. 

Oh god, she had bought them matching rings. What had she been thinking? The act must have made him so uncomfortable.

Did he know?

He couldn’t know.

“You’re right. It’s late. I should go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author comment of the chapter (this is in the context that I don't think it's really a spoiler to say that Jaime and Brienne are going to be together by the end of this fic... whenever that shall be *eyes chapter outline*):
> 
> Asha: "It was like I was the septon and they were teenagers eloping in my sex shop. It was wild"
> 
> AHHH, I knew I forgot something. Here are what the rings kind of look like:  
> 


	14. Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

It wasn’t the same after she had left that night.

They still met up as often as they used to. 

They still had fulfilling scenes and sex. 

They still followed the established rules of aftercare. 

But the kissing and the cuddling had become a little bit stunted. The warmth a little bit cooler. The rules of aftercare now too closely followed.

Jaime continued to take care of her. She never felt unsafe. She never left without feeling  _ normal _ again. But the contentment she had felt when she had gone to sleep at night wasn’t there anymore. Was it normal for your heart to constantly clench in your chest?

Something was wrong.

And Brienne knew what.

Jaime knew that she was developing feelings for him.

And he was trying to keep her away.

Because he didn’t,  _ couldn’t _ possibly feel the same.

And tonight… tonight was a perfect example of what their nights had become.

“It’s been half an hour.”

A countdown.

“Did you make any other plans?”

A loss of a friendship.

“You can go home now.”

Fuck her stupid, stupid feelings.

Gods, she just wanted their easy friendship back.

Brienne wrung the fabric of his comforter in her hands. Her eyes were burning, but she wouldn’t cry. She had been working up to this for more than a day. She had been practicing it in front of the mirror late last night, before she had gone to work, in her office at lunch, every opportunity she had got. “C-can I stay a little bit longer?”

Jaime looked at her. “You don’t have to.”

Brienne squeezed her eyes shut. The words tore themselves out of her throat even as she tried to hold them back, “What if I want to!” Jaime was staring at her when she opened her eyes again. “These aftercare rules were for me, why can’t I choose to extend them? Aftercare isn’t like the checklist.”

Jaime opened his mouth then looked away. His right hand clenched. 

Brienne eyes flickered over his tense,  _ defensive _ form. She began to draw back. She had ruined everything. “Jaime… if you don’t want me here then you can tell me to leave. I understand if my fe–”

His response was delayed, but visceral and exactly opposite to what she had expected, “I don’t want you to leave!” But he still wouldn’t look at her.

She took a moment. Was this about her feelings for him? “Then why have you been…”

Brienne gaped at him. And then it hit her like a winter’s storm - sudden, chilling to the bone, and whirling quickly out of control. She tried to snatch at the right words, but they were snowflakes melting in her hands. “They weren’t for me…” He had  _ lied _ to her. Lied to her while they had been putting together their  _ contract _ . “They were never for  _ me _ .” She had even told him how horrible it was when men decided that they knew what was best for her. But this twist, this twist on the concept, this betrayal of  _ trust _ , this was even worse. Red’s face, his sneer, his laughter appeared in her mind. Gods, she just would never learn, would she? “Did you think you could get away with it so easily because I’m an easy target?” She remembered the childhood taunts that had been thrown her way. “Slow, stupid Brienne?”

Jaime’s head snapped towards her, his eyes wide and confused, “What?”

“An ugly woman?” Brienne asked as she climbed out of bed and started to yank her clothes back on.

Jaime shot across the bed to grab her hand, “What are you talking about?”

She wrenched her hand out of his grasp, “Did you think that it would be easy to manipulate me, Jaime?”

Jaime scrambled to his knees on the bed, “What? Brienne. No! Whatever in the name made you think—”

“Then tell me. Who are those aftercare requirements for?”

He suddenly froze, tensed, then hardened in a way that she had never seen him before. Then drew back. “What are you trying to say, Brienne?”

“It’s pretty obvious what I’m trying to say,” she hissed, trying to hold back the tears.

Jaime climbed out of the bed on his side and said through gritted teeth, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. They are for you.”

And for a moment, Brienne felt brave enough to take the risk, “Then why has everything changed since I left that day after we went shopping.”

Jaime pulled on his pants in jerky movements, “Nothing’s chan–”

“Stop lying to me!” Brienne shouted. She should have felt relieved that he had no idea how she felt, it should have been for the best, but  _ this _ was even worse. She had  _ trusted  _ him. “You’re supposed to be honest with me when it comes to our BDSM relationship, Jaime.”

His hand ruffled through his hair as he considered his words. And then he looked her in the eye, “I was thinking of you when I put down those aftercare guidelines.”

It was like having ice water poured on her, because she couldn’t detect even a hint of dishonesty in his voice. He sounded completely sincere. “So this aftercare stuff means nothing to you?” she prodded.

Jaime winced, but shook his head, “Of course it means something to me. I want you to be happy with what we have.”

“Well, I haven’t been happy for a while.”  _ Since she had made that decision to leave. _

His eyes flashed. “Then what the hell is this for?” he asked as he held up his hand, the one with the bear ring on it.

Brienne didn’t even know how to answer. It was  _ obvious _ what it was for.

Jaime glared at her then began to laugh hysterically. “Well, fuck. I didn’t realize that these aftercare guidelines were such an imposition on you.”

“What?” Brienne asked.

But before she could say anymore, Jaime wrestled the bear ring off of his finger - her ring glowed and glowed - and threw it towards her. Her ring turned black. She watched the black and silver band bounce on his mattress before it rolled to a stop just short of the edge, just short of falling at her feet.

Her eyes  _ burned _ .

She had to get out.

She couldn’t even  _ look _ at Jaime as she grabbed the rest of her things and left.

She thanked the Gods that the tears only came after his house was well out of sight.

* * *

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Can I come over? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Sure  _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: What’s up? _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Don’t you have a date with The Idiot? :D :D :D _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I have three pints of ice cream and want to watch Gone Girl _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: Oh Gods _

_ Margaery Olenna Tyrell: I’ll call Sansa _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Please _

She didn’t even make it to the door before Margaery rushed out of her house and gave her the biggest hug she could muster. Brienne gripped her friend tightly as she buried her face into her perfect, brunette curls and sobbed ugly sobs until she felt another body hug her from behind. 

“Let’s get inside,” Margaery said quietly as she led Brienne into her house. Brienne wiped at the tears and snot on her face with the back of her hands while Sansa gently pried the bag of ice cream from her. She disappeared into the kitchen and then came back with a warm, damp cloth and gently wiped at Brienne’s cheeks and hands. “I’ll put the movie on,” Margaery said to Sansa. The ginger nodded as she continued to clean up Brienne, who still couldn’t stop crying.

* * *

Three empty tubs of ice cream later, a post-cry nap, and with the credits rolling, Brienne told her friends what had happened. Not once during the whole night had her ring glowed, even though she had looked and looked and looked.

Sansa leaned her forehead on Brienne’s shoulder, took one of Brienne’s hands in hers and muttered, “Oh,” Sansa sighed sympathetically, “I’m so sorry, Brienne. He never should have done that to you.”

“But—“

Sansa shushed her gently and rubbed her forehead against her arm, “Manipulation is never okay, whatever his intentions. And it is him, not you. You’re not ugly and you’re not a fool.  _ This _ isn’t about you.”

“I think I overreacted, though,” Brienne sighed. Time and sleep had given her some clarity over the situation, although it was still hard for her to think about the earlier events of the night without her heart clenching in her chest so hard that it felt like it was going to burst. “I didn’t really give him the chance to explain himself and maybe… maybe he had a reason for why he did what he did that wasn’t… wasn’t so bad.”

“It was the heat of the moment. If you overreacted, then he definitely did, too.”

Brienne wanted to tell Sansa that she had let her romantic inclination fuel her fire, but she wasn’t ready to tell her that yet. Especially if it seemed like whatever Jaime and her had was now over. Maybe with the next man she met, Jaime’s stone cold glare would be the one to haunt her. “Gods, I just can never seem to get it right,” Brienne murmured as tears once again sprung to the corner of her eyes. Maybe it was just forever going to be a long list of men that she would pine for, all of whom would become haunting shadows in her memory.

Sansa’s forehead lifted away from her and she turned her head towards Margaery, “You’re being uncharacteristically quiet. Normally you’re the first one to suggest assault and murder.”

Brienne turned towards Margaery as well, who was simply sitting in a contemplative silence, so completely uncharacteristic of her that the figure in front of them almost seemed like a different person. “Marg—“

Margaery let out the longest, most pained sigh that Brienne had ever heard her produce and rubbed her face. “You need to talk to him, Brienne.”

“What?” Sansa asked, her volume increased in mounting outrage.

Margaery waved her hand to try and get Sansa to settle down, “Don’t worry, this truly pains me to say this. Normally I would just say kick him to the curb, send him flying, bury him under a pile of bricks, I’ll show you a great time if you want a good time, but I think you need to at least try and talk to him, Brienne. At least if he tries and talks to you.”

Brienne gaped, but Sansa gaped even harder, “Are you serious?”

Margaery sighed painfully again and pressed her fingers to the corners of her eyes. “I’m going to need to wash my mouth out with soap after this,” she muttered, then looked up at Brienne, stalwart and sure. “Remember, I didn’t meet him first as Jaime Lannister, the guy who one of my best friends would hopefully have fun fucking one day. I met him as Goldenhand, a man on a BDSM website who was desperately looking for someone to talk to.”

Brienne continued to gape. She  _ had _ forgotten.

“I’m not saying that you should initiate the conversation if you don’t want to, Seven forbid. I’m even only suggesting this because you seem to maybe want to reconcile, but I am saying that if he tries to reach out to you, maybe give him a listen. Whatever you decide after is whatever you decide, that isn’t for me to say,” Margaery continued, “I still think he’s a good man. Not a perfect one, not even necessarily a nice one, cause fuck if I have a clue, but a good one.”

“What are you not telling her?” Sansa muttered as her eyes narrowed.

Margaery shrugged and sighed almost painfully again. She rocked as though weighing her options and then settled on her answer, “It’s really not my place to say.”

“He trusted you not to tell anyone,” Brienne murmured.

Margaery nodded, “On a BDSM forum.”

Sansa was still frowning severely but Brienne met Margaery’s eye and gave her a nod, “I understand.”

* * *

The night had passed, the next day had passed, most of the rest of the week had passed, and still Brienne heard nothing from Jaime.

By day two Brienne had gotten into the habit of rubbing her black bear ring whenever her hands were not otherwise preoccupied, waiting; waiting for the chance that maybe one day it would glow again. She couldn’t work herself up to going to see Jaime personally. Margaery had had the right of it - if he reached out to her then she was going to listen, but she wasn’t going to subject herself to someone if they truly didn’t want her. She wasn’t going to put herself in that position now, not when she hadn’t put herself there for Hyle or for Red.

At the gym Brienne dropped back into her own world for her workouts. Letting it all fade away had already been her ‘walls and shields’ to all the scrutiny of the people who would stare at the hideous beast using the free weights. Now it also prevented her from running again, like she had done at her previous gym. Jaime was just one man.

By day three Brienne decided that if her ring didn’t glow by the end of the week she was going to take it off, too. It was preoccupying too much of her headspace, weighing too heavily on her mind to keep it on for longer. Vindictive thoughts of throwing it into Blackwater Bay or off the highest tower of the Red Keep museum came to her mind, but that wasn’t her style. Margaery would cheer her the entire way, of course, while she purged herself of not only the ring but also the symbols of her first memories of Jaime, but Brienne was probably going to go more along the routes of what Sansa would do. She would keep it on her nightstand until the end of the month, only putting it on when she was at home, and only after that period she would discard it. She would leave it somewhere gently, leave it somewhere that maybe someone else could find it, but leave it somewhere that didn’t mean a thing.

On Friday, she once again met with Renly as she suggested more companies that should be contracted into working for the project. In the pile was one of her favourites, Croft’s Realtors. Her meeting with the Boltons a couple weeks before had reminded her of how much she had enjoyed working with the company, and they were a perfect fit for the project. Renly, as he had been with the builders and suppliers earlier, accepted all of her suggestions without even looking at the documents - although he did, once again, take them home with him.

On Sunday, after spending most of the weekend simply rubbing and staring at the ring that was never going to glow again, Brienne logged back onto Seven Silks and Sands forum for the first time since she had met Jaime. Tomorrow she would take the thing off. It was time to at least try and start again. Gods, did she even want to start again? After all, she hadn’t found the thing she was looking for by joining in the first place.

_ Paramour (Admin): Hello BlueKnight! It’s been a while since I’ve seen you online. I hope you’re doing well and everything has been lovely <3 _

_ BlueKnight: I’m doing okay _

_ Paramour (Admin): Just okay? That’s not what one wants to hear. Are you alright? _

_ Paramour (Admin): You don’t have to talk about it, but I am here to listen. We can even talk about something else if you just would like someone to chat to! _

_ BlueKnight: I think…  _

_ BlueKnight: I think that things have just ended between me and my BDSM partner _

_ BlueKnight: How do you handle that? _

_ Paramour (Admin): Oh my sweetheart, I am so sorry to hear that _

_ Paramour (Admin): It is always a sad thing when such a relationship ends, whether it ended on good or bad terms _

_ BlueKnight: It ended quite badly _

_ BlueKnight: Abruptly and badly _

_ Paramour (Admin): My poor soul _

_ Paramour (Admin): There’s many ways to handle the end of a BDSM relationship _

_ Paramour (Admin): Sometimes one must separate themselves from the community for a while, other times one finds that they want another partner immediately, some find it helpful to review the content and be a part of the community without engaging in any activities for a time. Make friends, learn more, just get comfortable again _

_ Paramour (Admin): And although I am always sad when this happens, sometimes one needs to completely leave the community all together and that’s okay, too _

_ BlueKnight: I didn’t actually get to talk to that many people the last time I was here _

_ BlueKnight: My first partner and I clicked so quickly _

_ BlueKnight: Maybe I’ll chat with some others _

_ Paramour (Admin): I am here if you need anything :) _

_ BlueKnight: Thank you _

Brienne navigated back around to all of the forums she had already joined, staunchly avoiding the Historical Fairy Tales one.

_ QueenofThorns (Mod): Hello, dear. _

_ BlueKnight: Hi Nana _

_ PrincessofThorns: Be nice! _

_ QueenofThorns (Mod): I am always nice to people I respect. _

_ PrincessofThorns: Is that list just a piece of paper with Brienne’s name on it? _

_ QueenofThorns (Mod): Yours too, sweetheart. _

_ PrincessofThorns: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 _

_ QueenofThorns (Mod): Now let’s send you some nice butts to get your mind off  _ the _ butt. _

_ BlueKnight: Thanks Nana _

_ KissedbyFire: i haven seen ye here for a long time _

_ BlueKnight: Took a bit of a hiatus _

_ KissedbyFire: i’m sorry if i scared ye last time _

_ KissedbyFire: I dinna mean ta _

_ BlueKnight: That’s okay _

_ KissedbyFire: do ye live in the North?  _

_ KissedbyFire: do ye want to get some fermented milk sometime? _

Absurdly, tears came to Brienne’s eyes at the mention of a milky beverage.

_ BlueKnight: I’m sorry, I live in King’s Landing _

_ KissedbyFire: that’s sad to hear _

_ KissedbyFire: i’d be happy to show you around if ye ever come visit _

_ KissedbyFire: show ye the real North _

_ BlueKnight: That sounds nice _

_ BlueKnight: Thank you _

_ KissedbyFire: anytime for a beautiful lady knight _

Brienne took in a couple deep breaths as she scanned through new forums to join. One that she hadn’t seen before caught her eye - CityWatch. Brienne blinked. She had thought the CityWatch sports league was a little too niche for the likes of a BDSM forum, but then she remembered they had Historical Fairy Tales as well. She shoved that memory back into the shadows where it belonged.

Brienne joined the forum to an avid, if not slightly broken up, discussion on whether or not Ashemark or Griffin’s Roost had the better sailing team. Not having a real opinion on the Ashemark team, but feeling particularly vindictive about the Griffin’s Roost team - it had been Red’s favourite team after all - Brienne chimed in.

_ BlueKnight: The clear answer is Ashemark _

_ CockyGinger: THANK YOU _

_ RipWrath: Ashemark isn’t even on the fucking coast you fucking idiots _

_ CockyGinger: We don’t need to be on the coast to beat you assholes _

_ CockyGinger: Oh the Narrow Sea has better sailllng waters, oooh the Narrow Sea is much calmer, ooooooooh the Narrow Sea is narrow OHHHHHH _

_ RipWrath: DICK _

There was a long pause in conversation where RipWrath continued to throw out insults with no replies from CockyGinger. Brienne was about to leave the channel, because  _ really _ , this was not what she was here for, when CockyGinger finally replied.

_ CockyGinger: You sail the waters of the sunset sea, you win _

_ CockyGinger: That’s what’s up _

_ BlueKnight: The sunset sea does prepare athletes for the worst conditions _

_ RipWrath: Who the fuck are you _

_ BlueKnight: Just stating facts _

_ CockyGinger: THAT’S RIGHT _

_ CockyGinger: FACT: ASHEMARK IS THE BETTER TEAM _

_ RipWrath: FUCK ALL OF YOU _

_ RipWrath: I’M OUT _

_ CockyGinger: Good riddance _

_ BlueKnight: I’m going to DM you? _

Another long pause where Brienne regretted all of her life decisions. And then…

_ CockyGinger: Sure :) _

__

_ You have requested to chat with CockyGinger. _

__

_ CockyGinger is now chatting with BlueKnight. _

_ BlueKnight: I hope you know the Narrow Sea is far superior for training for the league, even if the Sunset Sea does prepare you for rough waters _

_ CockyGinger: I know :P _

_ BlueKnight: Good _

_ CockyGinger: Who do you support? _

_ BlueKnight: Evenfall _

_ CockyGinger: It’s not cool to support the clear favourites you know xD _

_ BlueKnight: I supported them before they got to the top of the league, just so you know _

Another pause, but this time Brienne just settled in. The hardest part was over, she had started a conversation with the person on the other side.

_ CockyGinger: A man after my own heart _

_ BlueKnight: Woman _

_ CockyGinger: My mistake! xP _

_ CockyGinger: A woman after my own heart _

_ CockyGinger: Seven, sorry. Be right back _

Brienne smiled before she realized that she didn’t know if Jaime was a fan of CityWatch. They had talked a lot about BDSM related things and historical fairy tales, sure, but not much else.

She rolled onto her back and wondered if she should have asked Jaime more about his personal life. Asked him about his family, his friends, his interests. She found that she didn’t really know any of them. She knew  _ him, _ though. That had to count for something. Or at least she had thought she knew him.

_ Paramour (Admin): And sometimes one must talk to their partner, so if they must part, it will at least not be a bad one _

__

Brienne blinked,  _ that _ had suddenly come out of nowhere.

__

_ Paramour (Admin): I’m sorry, I forgot to mention that one earlier _

_ BlueKnight: So… you think I should talk to him? _

_ Paramour (Admin): It’s up to you _

_ Paramour (Admin): But yes _

Tears once again sprung to her eyes as she swiped her thumb across the bear ring. It stayed its shadowy black. The problem was that he didn’t want to talk to her.

_ CockyGinger: Back! _

_ CockyGinger: So I’m going to start that over after my snafu _

_ CockyGinger: Hello, BlueKnight ;) _

_ BlueKnight: Does that wink work on anyone? _

_ CockyGinger: Seven. No :P _

_ CockyGinger: Or maybe now yes? Eh? Eh? _

_ BlueKnight: xD No _

_ CockyGinger: Darn ;P _

_ BlueKnight: Snafu, though… _

_ CockyGinger: Snafu, snafu, snaaaaafuuuuuu :P _

* * *

One more day. Brienne decided she would keep the ring on for one more day. After her realization that she hadn’t asked anything about Jaime’s personal life – though he hadn’t asked much of hers either, she had just provided it – she felt that she just needed to give it one. More. Day.

Brienne brushed her teeth, rubbed the ring, it stayed black. She got dressed, rubbed the ring, it stayed black. She walked to work trying and failing to not rub the bear ring, it stayed black.

“Good morning Ms. Tarth!” Podrick chimed happily. Brienne gave him a kind smile but his lips twitched into a frown. It seemed that she wasn’t the only one that was feeling down these last couple of days. Every time she saw Podrick looking at her, he always seemed just a little bit sad. 

Brienne walked into her office. Her coffee was waiting for her on the desk, so she popped her head out to thank her assistant. He blushed and looked shyly down at the floor before reaching for something, then came up with a small box of donuts, “I bought these for us,” he explained.

She could feel the smile on her face become sincere and watched as Podrick’s shoulders dropped in relief. “Thank you,” she said as she walked over to him and reached for one of the donuts, “This is just what I need this morning.”

Podrick nodded enthusiastically as he selected his own donut and stuffed it into his mouth happily. Brienne laughed as she leaned back and partially sat on his desk. 

When she finished her own sweet, she reached out and patted him on the head with her clean hand. “You’re a good person, Podrick.”

He smiled up at her and then it melted away as he saw the expression on her face. “Is something the matter, Ms. Tarth?”

Brienne coughed as she hid her face away from him, holding in the treacherous tears that had once again sprung to her eyes. How ridiculous was she being, wanting to cry at calling someone ‘good’. “No. Sorry, I just need to check in on the construction of the Reed complex. Call me if anything comes up.”

Podrick nodded hesitantly, “I shall.”

“Thank you,” Brienne mumbled and raced into her office, closing her door behind her. 

She held her hand up to her mouth as she tried to hold back a sob and then held it out in front of her… and rubbed the bear.

The ring remained black.

Black.

Black.

Black.

All day black.

All week it had been black.

It was obvious that Jaime had never put his back on. Maybe it was lost forever from when he had tossed it onto his bed or maybe he had thrown it out.

All Brienne knew was black.

Stupid sentimental feelings.

She should have taken off the ring.

Brienne used her frustration to power through the paperwork on the Reed meeting and managed to keep herself together when she called Howland to give him updates on the project. 

Podrick delivered her lunch at two in the afternoon and she thanked him profusely. She had lost track of time and until she saw the food in front of her, she had had no appetite to speak of. 

Once the remnants of her lunch were thrown away, she rubbed the ring.

Black.

“Get home safe, Ms. Tarth!” Podrick chimed as they parted in front of the building. Brienne nodded at him and watched him run to catch the bus. Podrick always ran at a happy gallop and it was a sweet sight to behold. She rubbed her ring and didn’t even look at it. She knew that it would simply be black.

The moment Brienne got home, she changed from her work clothes to her pajamas, not wanting to wait a moment longer for instant comfort. Right before she would go to sleep, she would take the damn ring off. She would, she would, she  _ would. _

As she brewed herself a cup of peppermint tea, she absentmindedly rubbed her ring. Brienne laughed sardonically under her breath as she wondered how long it would take for her to break out of this stupid habit that she had grown herself into.

And then just as she poured the hot water into her cup, and picked up the mug to take a tentative sip, stupidly still rubbing the ring the whole time…

Her ring glowed a brilliant blue.

Her mug crashed to the counter and Brienne wailed as hot water splashed onto her pajamas. She quickly wrestled off the garments and ran her hand, the one with the still glowing ring, under the cold-water tap.

As soon as the minor burn cooled and the irritated skin began to settle, Brienne tentatively touched the glowing object. It felt no different on the tips of her fingers, but at the same time, everything had changed. For the first time in a week her heart unclenched. She hadn’t even realized that it  _ had been _ clenched. 

The ring was still glowing blue, and here she was, still standing in her kitchen half naked.

Brienne rushed into her bedroom and pulled on the first set of clothes she could find, then grabbed her keys, wallet, and phone. 

Running to the door, she wrenched it open to see that Jaime was just on the other side, nervously twisting his ring around his finger.

His eyes met hers.

“Brienne.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:
> 
> “What?” Sansa asked, her volume increased in mounting outrage. --> "What?" the beta repeated, even though she knew what was happening.


	15. Aftercare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to lewispanda for betaing!!!!

“Jaime…”

He looked awful. Absolutely, positively awful. 

Jaime had purple bags under his eyes, almost sallow cheeks, and was many days unshaven. But his scruff was golden and looked soft to the touch. It made him look like a softer man, his sharp lines blunted though he was still gilded. It suited him somehow. Brought out the kindness that she knew existed in him. 

Jaime’s hair was also a complete mess, his clothes were creased and he was hunched as though he was ready for her to hit him. It made her want to hold him instead. Never, not even on the morning she had woken up beside him, had he looked so disheveled and vulnerable.

Somehow, despite everything, he still looked like half-a-god. Brienne couldn’t help but think that seeing him there was one of the best sights she had ever beheld. Jaime,  _ her _ Jaime. All the affection she had ever held for him bloomed in her chest. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice grainy and sticky as he gazed imploringly at her, “I’m sorry, Brienne.” He wrung his hands then touched his ring. “I’m such a fucking asshole and I’m so s—”

Brienne stepped forward and encompassed him in her arms. Tears came to her eyes as Jaime’s forehead rested on her shoulder and his hands gripped at the shirt over her shoulder blades. Clinging, desperate, needy. She took a deep breath in, pulled him closer, and murmured, wet and desperate, “I think I can forgive you, but only if you’re—“

“I promise,” Jaime held her tighter, “I’ll tell you everything.”

“…Honest with me,” Brienne finished as she ran her hands up and down his back. She didn’t know if the action was more to sooth him or to convince herself he was really there.  _ Gods _ , he was really there. “Jaime. It doesn’t have to be… it shouldn’t be  _ everything _ . I just need you to tell me things that might affect our BDSM relationship.” Not everything because she couldn’t do the same. She couldn’t tell him she loved him. Seven, what a bloody fool she was. But with him in her arms, she couldn’t deny - couldn’t suppress - the truth. She loved him. But, after all of this, after this long, long week, she knew she couldn’t ever let her feelings get between them. Jaime was too important to her to gamble it all for that.

“Brienne,” he said and loosened his hold on her just so that he could see her face. He cupped one of her cheeks cautiously, as though he were waiting for her to smack his hand away, “I  _ want _ to tell you about all of it. About  _ why _ .”

She leaned into his touch and nodded. Both of them stood there for a quiet moment before she allowed him to step inside.

Jaime stumbled into her home, took off his shoes, and then looked around her house as though he was a little bit lost.

“Would you like something to drink?” Brienne asked uncertainly, closing the door behind her and keeping her distance from him. The hug they had shared may have been needed, but it had been too much too soon. She shouldn’t have let him in so close again, not for a little while at least.

Jaime rubbed his face, “I’ll need coffee to get through the story,” he looked at her evenly, “It’s a long one.”

Brienne wrung her hands, “It’s quite late, isn’t it? I’ll get you coffee if you want, but if it’s a long one we can always wait until tomorrow. We can always meet up after work or we can grab breakfast. I can take a day off. I can afford one.”

Jaime laughed sardonically, “I think I’m going to be forced to take a mandatory day, if not several, off, considering my behaviour at work today.” He stared at the door behind her then said, “Is it selfish of me to ask,” Jaime looked almost pained as he turned his gaze to her, “To ask if I can stay over?” Brienne opened her mouth to reply, but Jaime felt the need to barrel on. “I can’t— I can’t stand the thought of leaving tonight with this— my shit hanging in the air between us. If you want me to leave, please, at least let me tell you now.”

Brienne closed her mouth and observed him. He looked so desperate, his past on his sleeve as he offered it to her whichever way she chose to take it and… and she had been about to suggest the same thing. Stupid, stupid heart. “Of course.”

He breathed out a sigh of relief and his body visibly relaxed. She realized that he had been  _ scared _ , scared somehow of her hurting  _ him, _ and slowly pieces started to fit together in her mind.

“Can I still ask you—?“

“Ask me anything,” he replied without hesitation.

Brienne found that a small smile tugged on her lips. “Do you watch CityWatch?”

Jaime looked at her perplexed and then laughed, tired but sincere, “Casterly all the way.”

“Bad taste.”

“Let me guess. Evenfall.”

“Don’t pretend you know me,” Brienne hesitantly bantered.

“That’s the point,” Jaime countered, his tone both playful and serious, “I want to know you. And I want you to know me.”

* * *

She ended up making hot peppermint tea for the both of them instead. She passed him his mug while he sat on the couch staring at the invisible abyss. “Penny for your thoughts?” Brienne asked and sat beside him. Close, but not close enough to be touching. It was like their first meeting again. Like they were pushing restart.

Jaimed huffed and laughed under his breath, “I was just wondering how your week has been, but then I thought it would be wholly inappropriate to ask.” Brienne hummed sadly and traced the rim of her mug with her finger. “Mine has been shit. I never should have taken off the ring. I did it in anger and I regretted it before it even hit the mattress but after you left, I couldn’t put it back on.”

Brienne couldn’t look at him. “Why not?”

He laughed under his breath again, set down his mug and rested his face in his hands, rubbing it vigorously. “Because what if it never glowed again? What if you had discarded yours the moment you were out the door?” His voice was muffled and pained.

Brienne put down her cup of tea and fiddled with the ring on her finger, “Then I guess you do know what my week was like.” Her eyes flickered up to watch him.

Jaime’s face fell, “I know. Gods, I—“ he looked at his ring, glowing a brilliant blue. “I put it back on this evening and it instantly started glowing again and I felt like a fool. Maybe the biggest fool there ever was.”

“And I thought  _ I _ was the fool.”

“You’re not a fool!” Jaime exclaimed louder than anything he had said since she had found him standing on the other side of her door. “I—I should have put it back on right away. I should have put it on the day after. All fucking week… and then today. Fuck, I should have put it on the moment I woke up, because the second I got to work, Seven, even right before I got to work, the moment I stepped out of my house, I regretted it. But my stupid pride drove me until I couldn’t go back to get it,” Jaime laughed in frustration, “Screwed up my day anyways. I have a lot of people I need to apologize to.”

Brienne frowned and stared at Jaime.

He looked even more wretched than before. “And it’s nobody's fault but mine. I never should have taken off the ring.”

She couldn’t help but give a small nod.

“Gods,” Jaime said, “I spent all week thinking about that stupid fight. All the shitty things I did, all the worse things I said. I’ve been hurt like that before and then I went and I hurt you. And I was trying so hard not to.”

“It’s impossible to go through life without hurting  _ someone _ ,” Brienne replied.

The corners of Jaime’s mouth twitched. “Wise words.”

“My brother got really into motivational quotes when I broke up with Hyle.”

“Gods, and Hyle fucking Cunt,” Jaime spat.

“Jaime…” Brienne berated half-heartedly.

“You opened up to me about him, something that must have been so hard for you, and I just,” his face twisted, “I just shut you out.”

“I don’t think we should continue beating ourselves up about what happened during the fight,” Brienne said stoically. It was hard hearing him blame himself even though she had spent a better part of the week doing the exact same thing. She took a sip of her tea so as to gather her thoughts into words, “I think we should talk about what happened, though, and… and fix it.”

Jaime looked up at her hopefully, “We could… we could still be friends?” he asked quietly.

Brienne’s heart fluttered in her chest, “Of course.”

He breathed out a sigh of relief, “Thank Gods, I haven’t messed  _ that _ up, at least.”

“We haven’t… we haven’t messed up anything,” Brienne said uncertainly.

Jaime looked up at her, “You would still—“

“I think we would need to go through the whole contract again,” Brienne added quickly, her heart beating loudly, “Beginning to end. After we talk about everything  _ honestly _ . But if you want to…”

Jaime’s eyes widened as he looked at her in awe, “I do want to.”

Brienne nodded resolutely so that the idea would solidify in her mind before she managed to let her insecurities claw through it again, “I do, too.”

Gods, Jaime was so important to her.

Friends.  _ Friends. _ Thank the gods they were still friends.

* * *

They broke the night up with questions about each other’s lives. “How many siblings do you have? You’ve mentioned a brother several times.”

“I have one brother and two half-sisters… or two nieces,” Brienne replied. Jaime raised an eyebrow and Brienne let out a soft chuckle, “Galladon, my brother, has a way with the ladies, and we all think that my dad is just covering up for a mishap since Galladon wasn’t, and isn’t, quite at the stage where he is responsible enough to raise two children yet.”

“So they’re quite a bit younger than you?”

“They’re six,” Brienne said, and smiled as she thought of their smushy cheeks and bright smiles, “They’re very cute. They look exactly like my brother, hence the speculation.”

“But?” Jaime grinned as Brienne’s face twitched.

“Well, my brother looks exactly like my dad,” Brienne couldn’t help but grin.

Jaime chuckled, “Do you take after your mother, then? Because if not, I will start the conspiracy that the Tarth’s of Tarth are actually all clones.”

Brienne laughed and swatted Jaime playfully on the arm. She then reeled as she realized she had just touched him again, but he didn’t seem to mind or make a big deal out of it. Her heart sped up, but it was still steady. It wasn’t about to break. It wasn’t about to  _ swoon _ . “I do look like my mother, so no clones.”

Jaime smiled, “Okay, so no clones.”

“Do you have siblings?” Brienne turned the attention back to him.

“One very annoying and wise little brother. His name is Tyrion.”

“Is he a know-it-all?”

“How do you know?”

“Older brothers always call their younger siblings know-it-alls,” Brienne teased, “What they don’t know is we truly do know it all.”

“Oh, don’t even start,” Jaime chuckled, “Though…” He grimaced, “I think I have spent all my accumulated ‘I love my big brother’ credits this week. He called me a drama llama. While perfectly sober.”

“A drama  _ llama _ !” Her donkey laugh filled the air and Jaime’s whole face lit up at the sound of it.

“He’s also never going to let it go that he was right all along.”

“Was he? About what?”

“He told me to go talk to you, that if you were anything like I described, my ring would be glowing the instant I put it on. His wife even called me a cunt when I refused to listen.”

“Oh, wow.”

Jaime snorted, “Some history there. She’s fully allowed to insult me all she wants. It’s usually quite deserved. Though Tyrion tells me she’s warmed up to me over the years, she still just likes to insult me every chance she gets.”

“Interesting dynamic.”

“I’ll tell you all about it someday when we have time. I am not the good guy, but there’s a clear bad guy.”

Brienne’s eyebrow raised, “Sounds salacious.”

“Lannister family drama is always salacious.”

“My family gets along really well.”

Jaime nodded, “I figured by the way you smiled when you talked about them.”

Her eyelashes fluttered and she couldn’t help the flush that washed over her face, neck, and chest.

* * *

Brienne played with her ring, “So I went back on Seven Silks and Sands.”

Jaime swallowed, “Oh?”

“Yeah, just to… to chat with people.”

“Did you find someone to talk to?” Jaime asked with just a touch too much nonchalance.

She laughed then replied, “Yes. He was very nice, though he supports Ashemark in the CityWatch.”

Jaime’s nose crinkled, “No taste.” And then, “I went on, too.”

Brienne tensed, “You did?”

“To seek some advice. The last time—“ Jaime pulled, “When the thing I’m going to tell you about tomorrow happened, I waited months before I reached out to the community. That’s how I found—“ he paused, “Oh, that’s right. You know PrincessofThorns personally.”

Brienne nodded. “She didn’t tell me anything. She did encourage me to wait for you, though.”

“Oh,” Jaime said softly as he stared at his hands. He then took a deep breath as though gathering himself, “After tomorrow I’ll message her and tell her that you two can talk freely about all of it, since you’ll know all about it.”

“We’re not going to gos—“

He shook his head, “That’s not what I think you’ll do. Just that, if we continue this, this part of my past will inevitably affect you. So, I want you to feel like you can talk about it, if you want to talk about it. No clauses saying that you must keep what we have between us secret.”

“Like in Fifty Little Fingers.”

Jaime shifted uncomfortably, “Like in Fifty Little Fingers.”

“Okay.”

He rubbed his right hand. “Just… maybe don’t talk about it to anyone–”

Brienne resisted the urge to reach out to him, “I won’t, Jaime.”

Jaime swallowed again, “Anyways, PrincessofThorns wasn’t the only person I ended up talking to on Seven Silks and Sands back then, and I went back to them this time, too. I actually got some personal therapy from the admins.”

“You chatted with Oberyn and Ellaria.”

“Agonized more than chatted. As you may have guessed, I was struggling.”

Suddenly, something made sense, “You were talking to them last night.”

Jaime blinked, “I was.”

“Did Ellaria’s tone suddenly change part way through the conversation?”

He nodded slowly, “She did go from ‘sometimes you just need to let it go’ to ‘talk to her now, you fool’, yes.”

Brienne laughed, then snorted, then  _ laughed _ .

“What’s so funny?”

“I was chatting with her last night, too.”

Both of them paused, “Gods,” Jaime chuckled as he buried his face in his hands, “I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like at their place last night when she realized.”

“Laughter?”

“If I know Ellaria, she was screaming.”

* * *

“Oh! Brienne!” Jaime suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “I have to show you something.”

Brienne blinked as he suddenly shot to his feet, breaking the contact that their pinkies had made over the course of the evening. She stared incredulously as he folded over… and touched his toes. A breath ripped right out of her in shock, and then she keeled over in laughter.

Jaime sat down beside her, “I continued going to the classes,” he bragged, ignoring the fact that she  _ couldn’t stop giggling _ , “Though I went to the morning ones.”

She stopped laughing. So he had been avoiding her at the gym.

“I didn’t think you’d want to see me, so I switched things around.” Or maybe not. She needed to remember that although she knew Jaime, she didn’t know him enough to know what was always on his mind.  _ Communicate _ . Like when it came to their scenes, it was so important that they continued to communicate outside of them, too. Luckily, it had never been hard to communicate what she wanted to Jaime.

Brienne wrung her hands, “I wouldn’t have seen you anyway.”

Jaime’s face dropped into a frown. “Is that… is that why you zone out? To cut out the world around you?”

“There can be some pretty cruel people at the gym,” she thought of Red and all of his friends, “It’s just easier that way.”

Jaime sat down beside her and tentatively put his whole hand on hers. Brienne turned her palm up and entwined their fingers. “I understand the need to go away inside.”

* * *

“What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done?” Brienne asked as she rubbed Jaime’s right hand.

“Like as in conceptually or physically? Because I’ve done many a dumb thing.”

Brienne snorted, “Physically.”

“I ran full tilt off the cliffs at Casterly Rock when I was about eight and was incredibly lucky that I happened to do it during high tide and had chosen a spot that had no rocks to land on,” Jaime chuckled, an impish grin blooming on his face as the memory flashed in his mind.

“So your stupidest act broke no bones?”

“Not even one,” Jaime laughed, “I then made it a tradition to jump off there every year until I left for university, but checking first every time after that time, of course.”

“What did you go to university for?” she asked another question.

He smiled, “Double majored in business and the arts. The arts degree was for myself, the business degree was for my father and ‘my future’. What was the dumbest thing  _ you _ ever did?”

“You remember how I told you I had broken a few of my ribs, my arm, and my nose?”

Jaime raised his eyebrow, “Did you jump off a cliff and not look, too?”

“I always look when I jump off the cliffs,” Brienne teased, “So no.”

He reached up to touch the bump on her nose where the break had been. “Hm, I feel like eight year old me is being judged.”

“Well, I got into a - what was supposed to be - small spat with my brother that ended with us in a punch out we were both too stubborn to call quits on.”

“Are you,” Jaime stared at her, deadpan, “Are you serious? Broken ribs? I know you’re stubborn but—“

“He broke a couple ribs, too! Also some bones in his hand, and I dislocated his jaw before our dad managed to tear us apart.”

Jaime shook his head, “That’s not something you should be proud of.”

“I was and am very proud,” Brienne preened. “We got one hell of a scolding on the way to the hospital.”

Jaime scoffed, “I hope you did! How old were you when you did this?”

Brienne blushed, “Like, nine.”

He snorted and rubbed his temples. “Gods, Brienne. And you judge eight year old Jaime for cliff jumping.”

“I’ll have you know that I won. Don’t ever listen to what Galladon says about that. He’s just a sore loser.”

“By the Seven, the two of you sound like absolute terrors.”

“That’s exactly what my dad says!”

* * *

Brienne stood by her kitchen, having just washed out their two mugs. She bit her lip as she watched Jaime pat one of her cushions. “I only have one bed.”

He turned to her. “I know. I was going to sleep on your couch.”

“No,” Brienne said, this time with purpose and direction. “We’ve had a tough night and… and I don’t think aftercare is a concept that should be restrained to just for after a scene.”

Jaime blinked at her and his whole body turned to face her. She had his full attention. “What are you—?”

Brienne hugged herself and looked away shyly, “Just come cuddle with me, Jaime.”

“For half an hour?” he said quietly, anxiously.

“That stupid period of time needs to be one of the first things that gets cut out of our contract,” Brienne muttered, “It should be until we’re good and ready.” She turned her gaze back to him, “Hours, if it needs to be. If… if we want it to be.”

“What if I want it to be—?“

“Then the next morning it shall be,” Brienne flushed. Jaime nodded slowly. Oh, thank the Seven that they were one and the same on that. She had just expressed what she wanted. Ridiculous, that just the mere thought of holding him for an hour made her want to hold him for a night, made her want to hold him for a lifetime. She had less control over her feelings than she had thought. “Just come on.” Brienne turned towards the bedroom, but before she could take a step, two arms wrapped around her waist and Jaime’s forehead pressed against the nape of her neck.

“Thank you, for hearing me out,” Jaime said, “I know you didn’t have to.”

“I had intended to take the ring off right about now,” Brienne sighed.

Brienne felt him nod in understanding.

“Save myself,” she whispered and touched the bear, “But I guess there are many ways to save yourself.”

Jaime continued nodding, his stubble rubbing against her skin.

He let go of her after a while and they silently made their way to her bedroom. When she got there, she dug through her clothing for a pair of sweatpants and a soft shirt. She didn’t have to worry about anything not fitting him.

“Here,” she said while handing him the clothing, “There are extra toothbrushes in the medicine cabinet. Feel free to use anything you see in there.”

Jaime nodded and trotted out of the room. While he was gone, Brienne changed into a new, clean set of pajamas and touched her ring again. After a moment it glowed right back at her. She couldn’t help the tears that came to her eyes nor the smile that came to her face.

Jaime returned soon after, “All done,” he announced. Brienne glanced over at him and saw that he looked perfectly comfortable in her clothing.

“Do you want anything else before we go to sleep?” she asked.

“No, I’m good.”

She nodded and went to the washroom to get ready for the night as well. Other than the extra toothbrush and a couple droplets of water on the counter, Jaime had kept everything neat and tidy. Brienne went through her skin care routine wondering if Jaime also exfoliated his face. He probably did. There was no way he had such nice skin without doing  _ something _ to it. Maybe she should ask him what products he used at home. Maybe someday she would invade his medicine cabinet. 

While she splashed water on her face, her ring glowed again, and for the first time in a long time, that warmth that she had been craving burst forth, starting from her ring finger. She brushed her finger over the little bear and smiled. 

Finishing up her nightly routine, Brienne returned back to her room to see that Jaime was already in bed, doing his best impression of a log teetering on the edge of a pile, although he was failing on the details due to the fact that he was smiling and rubbing his ring.

Brienne stopped fiddling with hers and the band on his finger stopped glowing. “I might not have a King Lys, but you can take up more space than that.”

Jaime blushed and nervously blabbered, “I adjusted my position so many times. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I knew that standing there awkwardly wasn’t it.”

She laughed and turned up her cover, gesturing for Jaime to get under it. He scrambled into the warm cocoon and Brienne joined him, then turned off the light.

After a moment of awkwardness, Jaime shifted beside her, “Cuddles?” he asked uncertainly. 

Brienne gave a small smile in his direction and nodded. For the first time, she wrapped her arms around him and he snuggled into her chest, the top of his head nestled right below her chin, his hair tickling her neck and his beard brushing the slivers of exposed skin at the cleft of her chest. Although they still weren’t at all spooning, she was clearly the big spoon and he didn’t seem to mind a wit. If anything, Jaime seemed to enjoy it.

“Gods, no wonder you like this so much,” Jaime muttered and wrapped his arms around her torso.

Brienne sighed happily and hugged him tighter. Their legs began to tangle together as Jaime’s arms wrapped tighter around her and she wrapped her arms even tighter around him. It was like they were clinging on for dear life. “Jaime?” she whispered.

“Hm?” he replied, as quiet as the whispering breeze, as though he thought being any louder would disturb the peace of the night.

“Why today?” she asked. She felt Jaime’s eyelashes flutter against her collarbone; he had probably been on the cusp of sleep. Her eyes were now adjusting to the darkness and she could see all the different shapes of him. “What about today made you feel like you had to put the ring back on? Why did… why did today seem different?” Brienne let the conversation of tomorrow hang in the air.

Jaime nodded in acknowledgement of her question. Drawing away from her, he reached one hand up to smooth a lock of hair off of her forehead, his thumb then sloping down to brush the corner of her eye gently. She could feel the smooth metal of his ring against her temple, the contact causing the blue light of her ring to glow in the darkness of her bedroom. She fiddled with it behind his back and his lit up too, illuminating their faces. Brienne thought she could see a thousand thoughts swirling behind his emerald eyes, the glow of his ring only making them more beautiful, somehow, someway. She hadn’t thought it possible. 

Jaime blinked, breaking eye contact with her and he seemed to settle easily into one simple explanation. 

“I dreamed of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter!!!
> 
> Jaime looked up at her hopefully, “We could… we could still be friends?” he asked quietly. --> I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PUT EMOJIS HERE
> 
> You hear that google docs??? Get with the times! Gifs too while you're at it 😂


	16. Fifty Little Fingers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!
> 
> **Warning:**
> 
> This is the Cersei chapter. 
> 
> It's a fairly long discussion of past abuse. If you do not want to read this section, I have narratively isolated it off with the only two hard cuts there are in this chapter. Before the first cut and after the last cut are okay. A summary of Jaime's story is provided in the end notes if you would rather only read that or if you want to read it before reading the details.
> 
> Much love to everyone.

Brienne had tried to be quick and discreet about it, but the moment she heard the thump from her bedroom, she sighed ruefully and switched to carefully plating the pancakes she had only just managed to flip off the girdle. So close. All she had needed had been about two more minutes and Jaime wouldn’t have had to wake up alone.

He appeared in her living room not two seconds later, looking frazzled and anxious right up until he realized why it was that she wasn’t still in bed with him. Brienne held up the tray with two plates of food and two mugs of coffee in front of her, giving him a small smile while she watched relief flood his face. “I was trying for breakfast in bed,” she murmured shyly.

“If you had woken me up, I could have helped you,” he replied softly as he slowly approached her and took the tray out of her hands. 

Brienne gestured to the dining room table as she grabbed two glasses and filled them with juice. “You were sleeping so peacefully that I couldn’t bear to wake you up. You looked so tired last night, Jaime.” The bags under his eyes had definitely reduced over the night, although there was still some obvious puffiness. She met him at the table where he was setting everything up. “Go brush your teeth.”

Jaime rolled his eyes a bit, but did as she bid and quickly scampered off to perform his morning routine. It was lucky they had both called in to their work - or Jaime had, Brienne had just contacted Podrick - the night before, because it was definitely too late in the morning to do so now.

She sat down at her table and ran her finger around the edge of her glass of juice, thinking. Her ring then began to glow and she deliberately stroked the bear. 

Waking up beside Jaime, her arms still around him, him tucked comfortably into her hold, had given new meaning to good mornings. She had never seen him sleep before, having always fallen asleep before him and woken up after. In sleep, Jaime breathed deeply, not quite snoring, and twitched and nuzzled often. Brienne hadn’t thought of breakfast in bed right away, feeling perfectly content to just lie there for several long minutes, staring at his face and the way the tendrils of morning light - which had managed to peek through her curtains - made his hair glow. Despite his gaping mouth and the little bit of drool that had been leaking from the corner of his lips, she thought that there hadn’t ever been a sight so sweet. She hadn’t been able to help but gently trace the line of his jaw and the curve of his lip. It had made his nose twitch and for that moment she had feared that she had woken him up, but he had settled again, burrowing into her and her bed quickly after. Surely, if he had woken, he would have seen on her face just how much she loved him. 

Because she really did love him.

There was no stupid box tucked into the corner of her heart anymore. Her feelings were just everywhere now, splashed on the canvas that was her life, adding to the picture of her whole in a way that was both cutting and beautiful.

A small part of her did worry how the things he was going to tell her would change how she saw him, but a larger part of her already knew that whatever he told her wouldn’t alter her opinion about him. She didn’t know many facts about him and details about his life, but he had let her see his heart, and his heart was what she knew, not completely, but best. His past was a part of how Jaime’s heart had come to be and nothing he could say would change how she loved him. Touch her, astound her, shock her? Maybe. Undoubtedly. But love him less? No. 

Jaime returned from the washroom - looking brighter and cleaner - rubbing his beard, “Sorry, I’ll shave this when I get home.”

Brienne smiled at him, “If you like it, you should keep it. It makes you look very distinguished.”

He gave her a lopsided smile as he sat down, “You like it?”

“It’s very soft,” Brienne murmured shyly.

Jaime grinned, “Maybe I’ll keep it, then. I like it too.”

She hummed happily then jumped in surprise when she felt a foot nudge her ankle. Brienne looked up at Jaime, but he was simply taking a sip of coffee. A sparkle in his eyes spoke of his mischief, though. She hooked her ankle around his, “Let’s eat.”

“Thank you for the breakfast, Brienne.”

Like the other day before, on another morning in another house, they ate in a comfortable, warm silence.

After they had eaten, and while they were cleaning up, Brienne could see that Jaime was gearing up for what he was planning on telling her. His muscles were tensing and his mouth set itself in a frown. Several times he opened his mouth as though he wanted to start, but then it would snap closed again abruptly with nary a sound expelled. She could see how hard it was for him to talk about his past and understood, somewhat, why he hadn’t been able to tell her before. By the time the last dish was back in its proper place, Jaime looked just as anxious as he had when he had thought he had woken up alone.

Brienne didn’t know what to do to help him, so she suggested one of the things that helped her relax. “Do you want to have a bath?” He jerked in surprise, as though he had forgotten where he was, and blinked at her in confusion. “It will help you unwind.”

“I–” he cut himself off

Brienne just shook her head at his confounded hesitation and grabbed his elbow, dragging him to the washroom. She immediately marched them towards the tub, plugged the drain and turned the dials so that water began to rush into the giant thing in a ratio she knew would be the perfect temperature for a good long soak. 

“I don’t think I’ve had a bath since I was a kid,” Jaime stated, still somewhat bewildered as he saw how fast her tub was filling.

She looked at him, “Then how do you know you prefer showers?”

Jaime shrugged, “Baths seem like a lot of work.”

Brienne shook her head again, “They’re great. I have some bubble bath here, and this is my shampoo, my conditioner, and my body wash. There’s a waterproof speaker with controls there if you want to connect your phone and listen to something. Help yourself to anything else you find in here that you think will help you relax. There’s extra towels and a bunch of other products under the sink.”

“You’re not staying?”

She flushed at the idea, but then waved away the thought. “The point is to  _ relax _ , Jaime.” Not that sex couldn’t be extremely relaxing, but probably not the kind of relaxing one needed to do before bearing their soul. “Climb in, I’ll go get you a change of clothes.” Even if they didn’t have sex, being naked together at this point probably wouldn’t help matters either.

The last thing Brienne saw as she left the washroom was Jaime nodding and taking off the pajamas she had leant him.

Brienne took her time choosing what to give Jaime to wear out of her things. Pajamas had been easy. All she had to account for was comfort. For the day though, Brienne didn’t know if he would want to stay after or go out with her somewhere, or just leave altogether when all was said and done. She should have thrown his stuff into her laundry last night, but the thought had completely slipped her mind between all of the other things that had been going on.

In the end, she went with a nice button up shirt, a comfortable crew neck sweater, and an old pair of jeans she hoped wouldn’t be too long on him. That was the other thing; pajamas were easier to play fast and loose with when it came to sizing, but she hoped the sweater would at least cover up the shirt if everything sat weird, and hopefully the jeans wouldn’t be too terrible around the hips. 

Brienne knocked on the washroom door. It had been about ten minutes since she had left him. The tub would be full by now and she imagined that he was already soaking. “Jaime, I have a change of clothes for you.”

“Thank you,” his voice echoed from inside.

“Do you…” Brienne flushed, “Do you want me to set them on the counter inside for you?”

Silence. And then she heard the gentle swish of water against the side of her bathtub. “Only if you wouldn’t mind. And don’t laugh.”

Brienne slowly opened the door, “I wouldn’t mind. And what would I be laugh–” she asked as she peeked in and was immediately hit by a wall of citrus scent. When Brienne recovered and realized what had happened she couldn’t help the giggles that burst out of her chest. “What are you doing, Jaime?!”

Jaime stuck his tongue out at her from inside the bath tub, “I told you that it’s been a long time since I’ve had a bath and you said to help myself,” he pouted as he sank lower into the water, which meant that he also sank lower in the decidedly thick tower of bubbles that were nearly overflowing over the side of the tub. Even if she hadn’t already seen him naked on multiple occasions before, the thick layer of shimmery pink was keeping his modesty well preserved.

She tried not to guffaw, but failed miserably, “You put in too much.”

“Don’t you think I’ve figured that out,” Jaime continued to pout, “They’re slowly popping, but smacking them has proved to not be overly efficient.”

“My gods, there were more before?” 

“Oh, leave me be!” Jaime growled playfully, as he petulantly blew a bunch of bubbles her way and they splattered on the floor, “Let this man enjoy his bubble bath in peace.” 

Brienne placed the pile of clothes in her hands on the counter where he had set his towel and rolled up her sleeves, “They dissolve if you add shampoo.”

Jaime’s head fully popped out of the mass of pink bubbles, “What? That’s insane. You’re lying to me.”

She raised one of her eyebrows at him, and he met her gaze. Truly though, if she couldn’t win a staring competition with a man drowning in bubble bath, no matter how handsome that man was, she would just forfeit all her staring competitions from then on. True to form, Jaime broke eye contact first and blew another blob of bubbles at her that splattered on her feet. Brienne shook her head, trying not to smile and encourage his juvenile behaviour, and reached for one of the shelves with shampoo. A thought came to her and she held the bottle tentatively in both her hands, “Do you…” Brienne bit her lip, “Do you want me to wash your hair for you?”

Jaime’s head snapped up to stare at her again, before he nodded slowly, “If you,” he swallowed and his throat bobbed with the movement, “Want to.”

Brienne nodded and quickly navigated around her washroom, dodging the puddles Jaime had created to grab her little stool and drag it so that she sat behind him. “Um…” he was still gazing directly at her, eyes all glittery like the bubbles he was practically drowning in, “You can just lean back.”

Jaime nodded again slowly. Then he moved, but kept looking back at her as though he was ready for her to rescind her offer at any moment. Finally, his back pressed up against the tub and he leaned his head back, so that he was once again staring at her. Even upside down, wet, and covered in pink bubbles, Jaime looked half a god. It truly was unfair. “Do you,” Jaime reached his hands up to the sides of the tub and scooped up some bubbles as he looked away from her, “Do this often?”

Brienne smiled as she poured some shampoo into one of her hands and then set the bottle down. “My family really likes washing each other’s hair like this. When I was little my dad always washed my hair and my half-sisters always ask me to wash their hair when I see them. My brother and I didn’t wash each other’s hair as much as try to yank it out, so our dad put a stop to that early.”

Jaime gave a small smile, “That’s a nice family tradition.”

She rubbed the shampoo between her palms and fingers as she stared at the back of Jaime’s head, “It is.” Then she reached out and very slowly worked her fingers into Jaime’s golden tresses.

The sigh that came out of him was nearly carnal, but softer, as her nails found his scalp and began to massage the soap into his hair. Brienne took in a deep breath as she slowly tilted Jaime’s head back, so that she could once again see his face. His eyes were closed and he breathed out slowly as his body fully relaxed under her touch. “Shit. That feels incredible, Brienne.”

“Just relax.” And then before she realized what she was doing, she leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

His eyes snapped open as Brienne sat up, ramrod straight, mildly horrified at what she had done. She wondered whether if she just kept shampooing his hair, he would think that it was all just a bad dream. “Brienne.”

She swallowed and looked back down at Jaime’s face. “Yes?”

“Can I tell you now?” he asked, his voice yielding, heavy and wet, although his eyes pierced and shone, “It’s going to be a bit of a mess of a story no matter when or where I tell it.”

Brienne took in a deep breath and gently massaged the base of his skull, “I’m listening, Jaime.”

Jaime gave her a small, fragile smile, then said, “I loved Fifty Little Fingers when it first came out.”

She paused and tried not to show her confusion.

“Because it was me. Because the girl in that book… she was me.”

* * *

“I didn’t get it at first, all the vitriol in response to the series. I devoured it like many other readers did. That’s the real reason why I’ve read all the books and seen all the movies. I liked them, I enjoyed them. Better yet, I didn’t have to yearn for what happened in them, because I had it. Her name– well, you don’t need to know her name. I’ll tell you if it ever matters, but she doesn’t– no, that’s wrong. Her  _ name _ doesn’t matter any more. But she, well, clearly,” Jaime drew in a long breath, “Clearly  _ she _ still matters.”

Brienne stayed silent as Jaime trembled.

“She was my high school sweetheart and we had been together for well over a decade when the first book came out. We had been in the BDSM scene since before the books, of course, that’s why I identified with them, but being part of the  _ community _ was definitely stretching it.”

Brienne kept her fingers moving, hoping that her touch would ground him as he shivered.

“We referenced the community sometimes and superficially, but for the most part we thought we didn’t need it. We had each other, and we thought there was no better way than to just learn from each other. There was no reason to talk to other people, we could figure out for ourselves what we liked and didn’t like, and who cared what other people thought. She was the one, you know?” Jaime laughed then, but the sound was dark and tense. 

He clearly didn’t think that anymore.

“So I didn’t get it. All the criticism. What was wrong with Fifty Little Fingers? Wasn’t it sexy to have a forbidden, dirty secret that the rest of the world didn’t know? What could possibly be wrong with Crispian and Annara keeping their relationship to themselves? My girlfriend and I treated each other a lot like Crispian and Annara did, so what was wrong with the way they treated each other? They loved each other. We loved each other. Wasn’t that all that mattered?”

Jaime squirmed a little bit, and Brienne went from scratching his scalp to running her fingers through his hair. 

“A lot, it turns out,” Jaime sighed. “She and I both grew up in the upper echelons of high society and even though we had only started dating in high school, we had known each other practically all our lives. Perfect fodder for that whole soul mates thing too, you know? Destined for each other. But growing up the way we did, that meant there were a lot of different roles we were expected to play, like how I told you I did a degree in business solely for my future.”

Brienne hummed, to indicate she remembered.

“I had it hard, because I had so many expectations that were piled on top of me, but at the very least I could  _ try _ to meet them and they  _ could _ align with what I wanted to do with my life. For her though, for her it was very different. She was beautiful, you see. Probably the most beautiful woman I have ever known and ever will know. They called her the Light of the West.”

Brienne couldn’t help but still. Of course he had loved a beautiful woman. 

Jaime reached up to grab her hand and kiss her soapy palm. “She was also ambitious, resourceful, and charming. She wanted the world. But her beauty, her beauty was always foremost. She wanted everything I was expecting to be given, but because she was a beautiful  _ woman _ , she was just expected to, well—”

The tips of Brienne’s fingers brushed his cheek.

Jaime chuckled, “Be a trophy wife.”

Brienne’s nose wrinkled.

“Most women in our circle are expected to become good wives, but because she was beautiful, she was objectified more than most. She was often paraded around like a show pony with little care for her own needs and wants. The way her father treated her was the perfect way to ensure that she would never want to get married and have kids, so that backfired on him spectacularly when we got together. I didn’t care– well, I mostly didn’t care, about marrying her because at least I still  _ had _ her.”

“You must have loved her so much.”

Jaime gave her Brienne a small smile, “I did.”

Brienne wondered if this woman ever knew how lucky she had been to have had Jaime’s love.

“And because I loved her, I wanted her to feel like everything I had was also hers, that  _ I _ was hers. And one of the ways that we expressed that was through our sexual relationship.”

Jaime pressed the whole side of his face into Brienne’s palm, as though he needed the support to say what he was going to say next. 

“I told  _ you _ that I was a switch early on, but with  _ her _ I was always the sub. It couldn’t be any other way. She couldn’t stand having less control of her life than she already did. And I was  _ fine _ with that.”

Brienne swallowed.

“Even the days when I wasn’t feeling up for subbing, if she came home frazzled and near tears from the way that people were treating her, talking about her, like she was just a broodmare awaiting breeding, I gave up my control so that she wouldn’t feel so powerless.”

Brienne couldn’t even imagine Jaime using her like that and her heart began to clench as she felt the trajectory of his story begin to decline somewhere deep and dark.

He turned his face into Brienne’s palm, and the next part came out muffled, “Sometimes it meant that,” Jaime swallowed again, “That things got a little bit out of hand though,” Jaime laughed sardonically, “So as to speak.” He paused and took a deep breath. “She wasn’t always careful when she was desperate.”

Brienne’s eyes widened as the realization hit her hard.

Jaime chuckled forlornly as his right hand squeezed hers, “It’s how I got this injury.”

“Jaime…”

He rushed without pause through what he had to say next, “You will think me a fool, but at the time, I forgave her. She untied me as quickly as she could, but we didn’t have safety sheers. So by the time I was out, the damage had already been done. It was an accident, she had been careless and I hadn’t brought up the pain until it was too late—“

“Jaime! She should have been checking up on you! This isn’t your f—“

Jaime let out a soft puff of breath, his chest heaving as though he had run a marathon. “I would never forgive myself if I hurt you in any way, but I forgave her for hurting me because I knew that she was hurting too. I know now that thinking that way wasn’t healthy, but it was the only way I could cope with what happened. However, that was when the feeling of dread, that something was  _ wrong _ started. But I loved her, so I let us continue.”

Tears came to Brienne’s eyes.

Jaime breathed, “After that incident, I slowly began to learn all the things a dom would typically know, even if I was never going to dom with her, so that I could help myself if I couldn’t say the safe word or she wasn’t in the right state of mind to help me when I did.”

Brienne felt herself shudder. Jaime had immediately searched for a secondary mechanism for her to use to stop a scene if she couldn’t say her safe word. He always had safety shears within reach if rope was involved. She didn’t want to imagine him being in a situation where he had been bound and potentially gagged, wanting to end it, but not being able to make it happen. The idea of it, the  _ reality _ of it, was just so horrible. Brienne couldn’t expect him to tell her about every incident, but the implication of  _ many  _ was there. He hadn’t mentioned an event where she hadn’t helped him while he was in pain, but the implication was there that those had happened. He had mentioned using the safe word. He had mentioned  _ not being able to _ use the safe word. He had only spoken about when it had been bad enough that it had resulted in nerve damage. 

“It’s why I can’t have knives and shears involved in scenes. They are my ways of just  _ getting out _ .”

She wanted to cry. “Oh, Jaime…”

“I didn’t know having to learn to unbind yourself was unusual,” he murmured. “I just thought that all BDSM relationships were like this, even though, looking back, some part of me definitely thought that they  _ couldn’t be _ like this. I hadn’t used the safe word when I should have because I wanted to hold out for  _ her _ and I was afraid that I would be reluctant to use it again,” and again, and again, and again, “So I learned.”

Brienne didn’t care that she was going to get bubbly and wet, she leaned down and wrapped her arms around his shoulders pressing her face into the crook of his neck. 

He leaned into her. “Our scenes had always ranged on the painful side. She wanted to grasp that control through pain play, and I didn’t know that transferring frustrations from life into sex in that way was a  _ bad _ thing. I thought it was a cathartic, good thing. Another similarity to Crispian and Annara, I suppose,” Jaime laughed and buried his face in her temple, “Moderate pain play has always been pretty high for me and advanced pain play wasn’t a NO, it was a 1 or 2, depending on the situation. And because it was a number, she took full advantage of it.”

Brienne could feel him shaking with the exertion it was taking for him to keep going. She wondered if she was the only one he had ever told the full story to in person. She wondered if it was her place to offer him a chance to stop. 

She decided to keep listening as long as he kept talking.

“But once the injury happened, I was afraid of the pain, even moderate pain. Couldn’t take as much of it anymore—“

Brienne felt a tear slide down her cheek.

“And that really bothered her, displeased her even. She told me that my injury had turned me into someone else and constantly berated me for not saying the safe word sooner. She had to find other things to make up for what I had lost for her—“

Brienne hugged him tighter. She wanted to tell him that none of the onus of what she had done was on him, but Brienne didn’t know how to even begin.

“And so our aftercare suffered for it. I mean, it had been suffering for a while, but my injury was the felling blow. By that point our aftercare was usually spent in silence, she couldn’t relax with me talking all the time. But after… well suddenly our schedules kept conflicting, because she needed to find some control and power elsewhere, high society parties and the like. She would often leave early, and schedule things on evenings we had planned scenes, demanding to go through with them anyways even though she and I weren’t getting much from them. But I believed it was okay, I was  _ okay _ . I loved her and she needed it and I loved her,” Jaime snorted, “I convinced myself it was fine as I often laid in bed alone after.”

“That wasn’t okay, Jaime,” Brienne felt like she needed to iterate softly. She understood now, all of his strange and desperate requirements for aftercare. They weren't wholly for her, but they weren’t wholly for him either. 

He leaned heavily into her touch, “No. You’re right. It wasn’t okay and I still have a hard time acknowledging that sometimes. I still have a hard time acknowledging that I had ever allowed someone to use and hurt me like that. It sounds so petty, but I hate being a  _ victim _ . It’s why I reacted the way I did, and truly Brienne, I’m s—“

“Jaime, you’re already forgiven.”

He laughed and pressed himself into her ever tightening embrace. “In the end though, it wasn’t the backlash against Fifty Little Fingers, or her hurting me, or the lack of aftercare that made me realize I had to end it.”

“What was it?” Brienne asked carefully.

Jaime gave a small smile, “It was my little brother. A debt that can never be repaid.”

“Can I ask what happened?”

“He told me that she had gone to him, behind my back, and told him that he was taking up too much of my time and that I wanted little more to do with him.”

Brienne blinked. “What?”

“Gods,” Jaime laughed, “And at that point, I wasn’t even spending more than a lunch break every two weeks with him. Not even dinner, because dinner always conflicted with when we were both– no, when _ she _ was free.”

Brienne bit her lip to keep herself from saying something.

“She was trying to separate me from my family and friends, exert more control over me than I was already giving her. But to do _ that _ , to my little brother who she knew I loved more than anything in the world, telling him I wanted nothing more to do with him. That was unforgivable.  _ That _ made me finally realize that she didn’t love  _ me _ . She just loved that she  _ had _ me. Maybe, she had loved me once, but certainly not anymore.”

Brienne stayed silent.

“I ended it with her. I ended it with the world that created her too. She’s still there, unable to let go, but I got out. I took my brother’s lead and I got out.”

“Your brother wasn’t a part of that society?”

“He left for many reasons,” Jaime explained. “You see, he was born with dwarfism and immediately that was a strike against him in a world where beauty meant everything. Then he fell in love with a poor woman with a nothing last name and eloped with her. It was the final straw. What my father still doesn’t and will never realize, is that if he had given Tyrion a chance, he would have been everything my father had wanted me to be. The moment he struck out alone, Tyrion created a business that succeeded far beyond what the Lannister family could have otherwise done with those same resources.”

Brienne rubbed circles into his shoulders and they began to relax. She drew back from him slowly, still keeping the contact.

“Ending it with her was hard. As I said, we had been together for over a decade, more than a decade and a half even. And because it was her treatment of my brother that caused me to leave her, it still took me a long time to realize how  _ wrong _ everything else had been too. Especially our sexual relationship.”

“That’s when you reached out to PrincessofThrorns, and Oberyn and Ellaria.” She understood now why Margaery had felt compelled to tell her to give him another chance, if she knew this history about him.

Jaime gave her a small smile, “Sort of. I had already been on the forums trying to learn how to get myself out of bondage. It set off some alarms I guess, and that was how I got talking to Oberyn and Ellaria. PrincessofThorns, though, was just always there to listen about the innocuous stuff. And they all changed my life. It still took me a year after ending it with her before I got into the scene, before I met you, but when I was ready, I was ready.”

Gods. He had only ended  _ that  _ relationship a year before he had met her. Not only was it a huge wound, but one that was undoubtedly still healing. No wonder he had trouble being honest with her. “That’s good to hear.”

Jaime turned in her arms and gave her an impish grin. She didn’t know how he could smile so brightly after telling her all of that. “Would you be scandalized if I told you that right before I met you I visited Oberyn and Ellaria out in Dorne?”

Brienne blinked. After Margaery told her she had done the same, not so much. “No.” But…

He answered her question before she could even fully phrase it, “I didn’t lie about not having had sex for a year on the contract. I didn’t have sex with either of them. They just… showed me the ropes, so as to say,” Jaime grinned fondly as he seemed to sift through the memories. “Showed me how it should really feel like, how to treat someone so that they will never feel the way I did. I’m pretty sure I waded through every single millimeter of their brains that I could.”

Brienne couldn’t help but laugh.

“You probably think I’m a fool,” Jaime muttered as he swirled the bath water around.

She sobered quickly enough and stared at him, “Not at all.”

He rested his chin on the side of the tub. “I’m glad I met you, Brienne.”

She tapped him on the nose, “I’m glad I met you too, Jaime.”

He seemed like he wanted to say something else, but didn’t. She couldn’t even guess what by the strange expression on his face. “I should wash the shampoo out of my hair,” he sighed. Brienne stood up and pressed the button to unplug the drain. “What are you doing?”

“Reheating your bath,” Brienne stated firmly as she turned the taps back on so that hot water rushed in again. 

“Join me?” The request was so quiet, she almost didn’t hear it.

Her cheeks, and chest, and everything, really, flushed. “Are you sure?”

Jaime looked down, hiding his face from her, “I don’t… I don’t want to be alone right now.”

Brienne nodded and quickly stripped out of her pajamas, then slipped in behind him. He tentatively leaned back against her chest and she felt him slowly relax even more. Once the bath was back to full, she turned the hot water tap off.

Slowly, she drizzled water over his hair to get rid of the shampoo. Jaime sighed contentedly as he melted against her. 

“Aftercare isn’t for just after sex?” Jaime murmured a little while later, when his hair was clean of conditioner too. 

Brienne shook her head and hugged him, “No.”

* * *

She watched Jaime consider the new clothes that she had set out for him, and then watched as he crawled back into the pajama set from last night instead. “Do you mind if we just stay in today?” he asked shyly while playing boyishly with his hair.

“Anything you want,” Brienne replied as she wrapped herself in a towel and raced to her bedroom to get some dry clothes. Having Jaime about the place was making her go through her pajamas ridiculously quickly. Her ring glowed just as she was finishing dressing up. Instead of fiddling with it, she came back out into the living room to see that Jaime had made himself at home on her couch, a space left open for her right beside him.

He looked up at her with bright, wide eyes. “What do you want to watch?”

Brienne settled in beside him, her side pressing against his. “Some terrible movie.”

“Terrible movie, coming right up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you chose not to read Jaime’s confession in this chapter, here’s the quick summary:
> 
> Jaime compares his relationship with Cersei to that in Fifty Little Fingers, using a lot of the reasoning the book does to showcase that he believed he was in a “fully functioning” relationship. Cersei used her sexual relationship with Jaime to “outlet” her frustration with the way society treated her and hurts him multiple times in the process, one of which is how he got the irreversible nerve damage that innervates into his right hand. Instead of taking responsibility, she gaslit Jaime, and didn’t give him the aftercare he needed. He stayed with her because he loved her and - because they are socially isolated from the BDSM community - he didn’t know, to the full extent, how wrong/bad the situation was. What eventually causes him to leave was Cersei telling Tyrion that Jaime doesn’t want to spend time with him anymore. 


	17. Bear So Fair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!!!

They decided not to jump back into their scenes right away, even though both of them wanted to. Before the sex, they determined there were other things that needed to be done. 

The first thing they did was agree to seek out professional counseling. They decided that they both needed someone to talk to outside of their relationships who would be better equipped to help them cope with their respective traumas. Unlike times before, when they both had considered therapy but hadn’t followed through, the decision was made easier by knowing that, even if they weren’t going to therapy  _ together _ , the other one was going through the same experience at the same time.

The second thing they decided to do was to go through the contract again, but this time the  _ whole _ contract instead of just the checklist and any additional modifications that came to mind. It was enlightening, understanding the reasoning behind Jaime’s answers from the first time they had done this now that Brienne knew a very important part of his past, and it was even more interesting seeing how his answers had changed since then. The aftercare requirements they settled upon were no longer about hard times and strict rules but about open dialogue, freedom to explore things that could be considered aftercare, and how they simply just  _ felt _ . 

Actually, a lot of their contract veered towards keeping an open dialogue, now that they both knew each other better and were willing to speak to each other openly. It would also allow them to more easily modify their likes and dislikes without having to go to the hard copy as often. There were still the strict guidelines for upward modification - how they had to discuss them outside of scenes for them to mean anything and that they had to be completely able to consent. However, the  _ contract _ \- as Jaime had called it - was now more like the  _ checklist _ \- as how Margaery had termed it - a list of ideas that should be discussed.

Brienne wondered if she would have ever trusted anyone else as much as she trusted Jaime to progress towards this stage of deliberate and open communication. 

One of the things that was now more open ended was where their scenes would take place. In their original contract it was stipulated they would keep their scenes within either of their homes but now... and although the thought of getting caught was somewhat mortifying, it was arousing at the same time, and they did want to expand outside of their homes. After all, they wanted to continue spending more time together and sometimes… well…  _ sometimes _ ... Brienne couldn’t get her thoughts past that, although her early fantasies had long ago wandered into that realm. 

One of the things that Brienne learnt as they slowly made their way through two pristine paper versions of the checklist, actually talking instead of just filling out boxes individually, was that although Jaime was at a 4 with putting a gag on her while he was a dom, if he were to ever sub again a gag would be a 1 on his own sub checklist. It made her ponder the things that she would be comfortable with doing as a dom and how that would be different with what she liked to receive as a sub. 

They ended up spending an extra evening on contracts by filling out yet another set of paper copies. For the most part, Brienne’s contract was left blank, for she didn’t know yet how she would feel about doming in a lot of the scenarios that were presented, but she was able to have a lot of insight into Jaime’s preferences. And she was grateful to have these insights too, for she knew how hard it was for him to be vulnerable like this again. So she took it all in as much as she could, listening to every word he had to say, every anecdote he had to tell her, so that someday, if they had a wish for that someday and he trusted her enough - and she felt like she  _ was  _ enough - she could be the dom for him that he was for her.

It was heartbreaking to see him sometimes try to covertly sneak a peek at her face when he filled in a number to see if she was upset by what he put down, or even upset by  _ why _ that was the number he put down. Every time he did so, she wanted to hold him tight and gentle, and tell him that she would keep him safe, be his protector. Brienne could only hope that she would be a part of his healing process now and at least for the next little while to come.

Whoever this woman that he had once loved was, she had done a number on his emotions. Brienne ignored the voice in her head that hoped she could help heal him of  _ that _ particular kind of emotional trauma, too. Be the romantic partner that could show him that love didn’t have to hurt. Brienne extinguished the thoughts. He probably wouldn’t be ready to love again for a while anyways. She knew that she would be too scared to. 

The last thing they determined was that it wasn’t just aftercare that shouldn’t be restrained to scenes only. They would need to work on keeping the open dialogue between them outside of sex too. It scared her. It seemed like it scared him. But they didn’t want to lose each other over such a misunderstanding again.

One week passed, and by Saturday the next weekend, Brienne felt there was one last thing she wanted to do before they would continue their sexual relationship.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’m planning on having brunch with PrincessofThorns today _

_ The Idiot ♥️: I’ve messaged her _

_ The Idiot ♥️: So you should be okay to talk _

_ The Idiot ♥️: If you even want to talk about me _

_ The Idiot ♥️: Not that you have to talk about me _

_ The Idiot ♥️: I don’t think there’s any way I can save myself from sounding self important now _

_ The Idiot ♥️: So maybe just talk about me so that I seem less up my own ass _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I have nothing else planned for after the meeting… _

_ The Idiot ♥️: Tonight? Are you sure? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Only if I can stay over after _

_ The Idiot ♥️: I wouldn’t have it any other way <3 _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’ll text you an hour before I get there _

_ The Idiot ♥️: Works for me _

She tried not to focus too much on the stupid little emoticon Jaime had sent her along with one of his messages. After all, she had stupidly added one to his name too and it meant nothing,  _ nothing _ at all. Margaery and Sansa sent her hearts all the time. Hearts equaled friendship.

Friendship hearts.  _ Friendship _ hearts. Friendship  _ hearts _ .

Margaery immediately zoned in on her too happy smile when Brienne opened her door.

“I see that you two have more than made up,” Margaery surmised, and then did a small jump to give Brienne the largest hug that she could muster, “I’m so glad,” she murmured into Brienne’s hair, only her toes brushing the ground. “I felt so bad that I couldn’t say more and yet I was telling you to give some Seven forsaken  _ boy _ a second chance. Nana would have been so disappointed in me, unless she somehow knew.”

“Thank you,” Brienne intoned gratefully as she held her friend close, “For telling me to give him a chance without telling me why. I had to hear it from him. It was good to hear it from him.”

“I thought that you did,” Margaery agreed as she let go and Brienne lowered her back onto the flats of her feet. “If you want, you can tell him that I am PrincessofThorns.”

“If it comes up maybe I will, but otherwise I think the knowledge that a Tyrell knows his secrets might just break him.”

Margaery winced, “I do know much more intimately the society he spoke about than he probably thought I did when he told me what he told me. Maybe, without knowing it, that was why he kept talking to me after I reached out to him. Now that I know that Goldenhand is Jaime Lannister, I think I even distantly knew of him when he was with her.”

“You knew her?”

“I semi- _ know _ her. I mean, my family is from the Reach and Jaime’s is from the Westerlands, but the societies are close enough that we converge a lot. She’s still circling around, desperate, angry, and delusional,” Margaery sighed. “Horrible woman, the type who hates other women and isn’t shy about showing it, but great at fooling men into thinking it isn’t true. I’m not surprised that she was like that in the bedroom. Gods, Brienne, the questions he was asking on that forum made me feel so much for him. But sorry, I was talking about her. If she was any better of a person, she might have had friends who would help her get out of her shitty situation and the expectations society placed on her.”

“Your Nana.”

“My Nana could have changed her life. Many call her a thorny, old bitch, but that’s only because she has not only defied our echelon’s expectations, but has loudly led other women in other societies to do the same,” Margaery shrugged. “But, I’ve once again sidetracked. We’re not here to talk about  _ her.  _ We’re here to talk about you and—“ Margaery raised the pitch of her voice and clapped excitedly, “Jaime!”

“We don’t have to talk about him either!”

“Has the sex improved ever since? Though by the way you describe it, it sounds quite impossible.”

Brienne blushed, “We haven’t… yet.”

A grin burst onto Margaery’s face, “Tonight?” she squealed and literally began to quake in excitement. 

“Don’t get any ideas,” Brienne laughed with an attempt at a berating tone, knowing that her friend was already full on bursting with ideas.

Margaery guffawed, “Like you could even try to stop me! If you haven’t already started cooking, we should go out right now and eat while we shop.”

“I’m nearly done actually.”

Margaery clucked, but a smile lit up her face, “I should have known. Meticulous, Brienne. But I do love your breakfasts. We shall leave the shopping for after. The goal for tonight is to get him begging!”

Brienne laughed, “I don’t want him to beg.”

“Weeping and sobbing, Brienne! On his knees, please!”

“I’m not the dom!”

“Doesn’t mean you still can’t get him to hit the floor!”

* * *

“So I was saying to Loras that this is why he needs to get his act together. Like, no wonder Nana wants me to take over after her and not dad or him.”

“Loras does take after Mace more than after Olenna,” Brienne agreed as she passed Margaery a soapy dish to dry.

“Right?” her friend exclaimed as she whipped the dish towel in her hand around in agitation. “But at least Loras has some of Nana in him, it’s the only reason he was able to stake out on his own for a bit and then professionally compete in fencing instead of going into business like the rest of us. I love dad, but Nana’s fortitude definitely skipped a generation, and is much stronger in women.”

“So what do you think is the real reason Loras is being all scatterbrained lately?”

Margaery rolled her eyes, “Oh, who knows. It could be a million things. Loras is always in a mood. I’m just happy that he’s going to be back in a couple months. I miss the loser.”

“That’s how I feel about Galladon sometimes.”

“Oh, how is your brother doing?” Margaery asked as she shimmied her way closer to Brienne’s side.

“Don’t you d—“

Margaery was suddenly hanging off her shoulder, big eyes staring at her from beneath her long lashes. “Is he still a snacc?”

Brienne nose wrinkled, “I hate that you think that. You don’t even know him. He’s just a big idiot.” Who also always calls at the most inopportune times, but she wasn’t going to divulge to Margaery  _ that _ incident.

“Oh, come on, Brienne! Look at him objectively. He sounds exactly like you, so I think that means I know him quite well and–” Margaery fluttered her eyelashes, “I’ll  _ like _ him quite well, if you know what I–”

“Objectively, he is my stinky older brother who calls me Cheesy!” Brienne shouted to drown out her friend, “What if I called one of your brothers a snacc?” she shot back.

“I would say that yes, Willas, Garlan and Loras are indeed snaccs, but then I would say that you’re lying because you don’t think any of them are a snacc. You only have one snacc pack in your life.”

Brienne whined, “Margaery, stop. I don’t even know what you’re saying anymore”

“I’m saying,” Margaery singsonged, “That you should give me your brother’s number.”

“Never. Also, he lives on a different land mass. And possibly has two children–”

“That doesn’t make him less attractive!” 

“Now change the topic.”

“I’m also saying,” Margaery trilled, all too happy, “That you’re totally into Jaime. And like into into. Not like just  _ into _ .” Margaery wiggled her eyebrows and caught the plate that Brienne had dropped.

“You’re still not making any sense,” Brienne mumbled as she felt herself heat up. Then, “How obvious is it?”

“About 37 on a scale of 1 to 10.”

Brienne groaned. “Please, tell me you’re exaggerating.”

Margaery bit her lip. “Okay maybe a bit,” she tilted her hand back and forth in front of her face as though contemplating where the point of a meter was hitting, “Maybe about 36 on a scale of 1 to 10.”

“It is not!” Brienne pouted petulantly.

Margaery grinned and wiggled her fingers, “Then give me your phone.”

Brienne groaned again and made sure that her phone was not even close to Margaery’s reach. She covered her face with her hands, “If it’s that obvious, I’m going to ruin everything.”

“You’re not going to ruin anything, Brienne,” Margaery encouraged sweetly, patting her friend on the shoulder.

“He doesn’t feel the same.”

Margaery coughed, “Asha seemed to think differently. Something, something about a very specific shade of blue. Something, something officiating a wedding.”

“What?”

“Nevermind.”

Brienne tried to shove her face into Margaery’s, but the damn woman was always one step ahead of her. “Margaery, what?”

“It’s okay. Both of you are about 1054 on a scale of 1 to 10 when it comes to sheer obtuseness.” 

Brienne was prepared to whine to get what she wanted from her friend, “What are you talking about, Margaery?”

“I’m talking about shopping!”

“No, you’re not!”

“Now I am! Let’s get ready to go!” Margaery shrieked in excitement and was already out the door before Brienne could even breathe another word.

About an hour later, Brienne was more or less confined to a changing room while Margaery threw lingerie at her over the door and collected the mass amounts of outfits that Brienne most of the time immediately passed back, or once in a while actually dared to try on. How Margaery kept the constant stream of outfits coming, Brienne would never know. The woman buzzed in and out of the changing area at the speed of light. Maybe she was literally just grabbing one of everything in the store that was sold in Brienne’s size, because it certainly felt like that was how much clothing they were going through.

“How is your contract with Baratheon Estates going?”

“I have a couple meetings scheduled with the final few contractors we’re hoping to get on the project next week and then the plan is to start construction about two weeks after that,” Brienne explained as she looked at an outfit that was all strings and passed that back to Margaery. 

Margaery clapped in what Brienne surmised as delight, “I can’t wait to see the finished product. I try to get into at least one of your other buildings every couple of months to admire your work, and it will be just so much easier to get a room at the Baratheon Estates than it is to find tickets for a game at the Clegane Bowl.”

“As I said, that’s the plan. My usual contact at Croft’s isn’t available, so she’s sending her partner in her stead. Tells me he’s brilliant and a much better realtor than her, but I really wanted to work with her again.” 

Margaery hummed as Brienne passed her a soft, long-sleeved and lacey teddy that she had tried on, but had fallen all wrong on her wide shoulders. “Hopefully you and his style will be compatible.”

“I’m honestly more worried about the interior designer.”

“That’s what rebooted the whole project in the first place, wasn’t it? Renly wasn’t happy with any of the choices?”

Brienne sighed and shuffled through a bunch of outfits that were definite noes, giving them back to Margaery, “It was and I was really worried that it would cause problems again. However, it turns out that Burning Bright Enterprises passed his assessment with flying colours. It is pretty new to King’s Landing and Podrick missed it the last time he went through the files because they have only worked on small projects here. Renly liked the company’s Lannisport portfolio for large projects though, which was also an  _ opinion _ from him, which is shocking in itself, and Croft’s highly recommends them. Apparently, they’ve worked on several of those small projects together and it’s why I’m meeting with both of them at the same time. Still, it worries me that this designer has never worked on a large project before, but I guess there always has to be a first somewhere. My contact also said…”

“Said…?” Margaery enquired after Brienne stayed silent for a while.

“Well, she used the word brilliant for the King’s Landing Burning Bright agent, which is reassuring, but she also warned me that he could be a cocky asshat.”

Margaery burst into a fit of giggles, “A cocky asshat? Was that put into a professional email? I would love to receive that kind of a correspondence.”

“That’s what worries me, she’s so polite and professional all the time that ‘cocky asshat’ stood out like a blazing inferno. She also warned me that her partner and the interior designer get on like a house on fire, so whatever that means in the context of working together.” Brienne scrunched her nose, looking at yet another set. Lavender was a pretty colour, but against her skin it really washed her out.

“Well, I say this is perfect, you’re great at putting cocky asshats in their place.”

“Let’s hope that I don’t end up strangling any of them. The meeting sounds like it’s going to be a real sausage fest.”

Margaery snorted, “I can’t believe you just said  _ sausage fest _ .”

Brienne gasped as she turned to look at her back in the mirror after trying on yet another lingerie option. Not only did it look nice on her, the outfit also sent a clear message about how she felt about their scene that night. It also reminded her of something else, but she wasn’t going to dwell on that. “Margaery, I think I found it.”

Immediately fists hit the door in a thunderous pounding, “Let me in! Let me see!”

Brienne opened the changing room door and Margaery barreled in. Her eyes popped open and her pupils darkened. Her tongue stuck out to lick her lips. Brienne turned awkwardly, “So?”

Margaery looked up at her in reverence, “I didn’t think you’d look so good in green.”

* * *

Brienne stood outside of Jaime’s door and took in a couple deep breaths. She was ready to start their scenes again, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t nervous. She wondered if their dynamic was going to change. Could it somehow be better? Would it be worse? Well, she wasn’t going to find out by just standing there.

She shifted the bags in her hands and rang his doorbell.

He was at the door before she was even able to take two breaths.

“Brienne,” he greeted, sounding as though all of the air was escaping his lungs, “Come in.”

She nodded and stepped into his house. “How was your day?”

Jaime chuckled and ran his hand through his hair, “I’ve been nervous all day. Not in a bad way!” he clarified, “Just—“

Brienne gave him a small smile, “I know what you mean.”

“How was brunch?” Jaime asked, fidgeting, “Can I take your coat?”

Brienne felt herself blush and watched Jaime’s eyebrow arch, “Not yet.”

He swallowed, eyes trailing down as if he could see what she had on under her coat and jeans, then groaned softly, “I’m not even going to try and imagine what you have on under there. No matter what I come up with, it’s not going to be even close to being as exquisite as the real thing.”

Brienne felt the heat race down her neck and chest. “Brunch was nice. We talked about your past a little bit, but not much. You were right. It was just good to establish that there is someone else I can go to if we ever um…” Brienne didn’t know how to finish her sentence, but she hoped her meaning came across.

Jaime nodded. “Are you hungry?”

She bit her lip, “I might be too nervous to eat before.”

Jaime chuckled lowly, “Same. We’ll leave dinner for after.”

Brienne’s heart thumped in her chest, “Okay. I brought um… I brought some stuff to make breakfast tomorrow.” She held out one of the bags in her hands.

He took it from her, “I’ll put this away. You can get comfortable upstairs if you want, or wait for me down here, in the kitchen, wherever.”

“I’ll wait upstairs,” Brienne murmured. Jaime nodded and headed towards the kitchen. She went up to Jaime’s bedroom, taking her time as though it were the first time she had been to his place. 

If the timeline in her head was right, he had bought this house after leaving  _ her _ . This place was all his own, and although she hadn’t thought it  _ wasn’t _ before,  _ knowing _ that it  _ was _ made her want to take in everything just a little bit more. She took in the details that made the place homey and comfortable, the details that screamed Jaime, and the details where she would need to learn more about him in order to understand. Everything was put together so well. It was probably due to his university degree in the arts. 

Once she was in his bedroom, she immediately made her way to the window and took in the view. As she kept her concentration outside, she dropped her overnight bag to the ground then slipped off her coat and hung it neatly over the back of the chair. She had to intentionally not think about what she was wearing or else she might just rip it all off and throw it under the bed to salvage it at a later date. Being around Margaery and having her ooh and ahh at everything gave her so much more confidence than when she had to gather it all herself. She touched her bear ring.

“I got you a bottle of water just in—“ the sound of metal hitting the floor caused Brienne to turn, “Fuck!” Jaime was standing at his bedroom door, one of his hands covering the lower half of his face as his eyes practically raked over her form before meeting her gaze. All the green had disappeared from his eyes. “You’re trying to kill me, Brienne.”

Brienne shivered nervously, “I wanted to send a really clear message.” She brushed her hands over her waist, over the delicate and yet stiff shaping material of the black and green corset she was wearing. She could feel the simple lace brushing the upper curves of her breasts, the cup material soft and silky, and the smooth ribbon criss crossing over her spine ending in a neat bow – which Margaery had helped her tie - sitting just below her shoulder blades.

Jaime’s eyes raked her form again, he dragged his hand down across his jaw and his tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip. “Message received.”

Brienne took a couple steps closer to him and he closed the rest of the distance. It was as easy as breathing, kissing him again. He cupped her face as her hands ran through his hair and brushed over his shoulders. 

When they finally pulled away, her lips swollen and the new sensation of his soft stubble still tingling on her face, Jaime’s hands swept down her sides, feeling the whole shape of her before his fingers twisted in her belt loops. “They match today, don’t they?”

Brienne bit her bottom lip and nodded. And then before she knew it he steered her to the bed with his hands undoing the button of her jeans and his kisses pressing eagerly against her jaw. She flopped back on his mattress and Jaime had her pants down and off her legs in the next moment. 

“Brienne, what’s your fav—?“

“Gods, green,” Brienne pleaded and grabbed the front of his shirt to drag him down onto her. There were lips, and tongue, and teeth as Jaime’s fingers pressed into her hips hard enough that she knew little finger print bruises would be there in morning. The whole thought of it gave her a thrill. It had been far too long since she had last had Jaime’s hands on her like this.

Jaime shuffled down to kneel between her knees, one of his hands splayed across the boning, holding her down. “Fuck Brienne, I don’t even know where to start,” he growled as he nipped at her thigh. She yelped at the sensation and her fingers curled in his sheets. “I just want all of you. See you. Kiss you. Fuck you. And it’s a bloody difficult choice.”

His actions did not match his words though, as Jaime quickly pulled her black, lacy panties to the side and his mouth attacked with such deliberation that Brienne was teetering on the edge before she had even realised what was happening. 

The hand on her corset moved from her stomach to her waist and held her still as the finger of his other hands slid through the mixture of arousal and saliva that was collecting on her folds. Gently, he worked the tips of two fingers into her and she bucked until he was in her up to the second knuckle. His mouth moved to bite her inner thigh in teasing reprimand, but then it was back. His lips curled around her clit in what she knew was his wicked smirk, and his fingers moved to do the same from inside. It only took two thrusts against  _ the _ spot inside of her before her hands tangled themselves in his hair and she cried out his name so loudly that she was sure the neighbours would hear. But  _ she didn’t care. _ It had been so long since she had screamed Jaime’s name in ecstasy.

His tongue continued to drag over her, but his fingers retreated as soon as she stopped clenching around them. Brienne heard the unmistakable sound of their box of sexy things opening and closing. She looked up into his eyes as soon as she caught her breath, and that seemed to be the signal for him.

Jaime stood up, still between her knees, and divested himself of his socks, his shirt, his trousers, and his boxer briefs. She pushed herself up onto her elbows and licked her lips as she stared at the golden god in front of her.

Jaime sat down beside her and tossed the object he had retrieved from the trunk close to his pillow. “Come here,” he demanded, then pulled her into his arms, twisted his fingers into her hair, and swirled his tongue around hers. 

Brienne groaned as Jaime shifted both of them towards the headboard where he sat, leaning against it. She reached for the bow which rested against her spine so that she could take the corset off. 

He stopped her with a gentle hand, “Keep it on.”

Brienne blinked, “It won’t feel very nice rubbing against you.”

Jaime grinned and nipped her earlobe, “I don’t care.” Then he hooked his elbow under one of her thighs and dragged her over his lap so that she was straddling him. His testicles pressed against her labia and clit and his erect cock twitched against her mound. 

They had never…

Brienne flushed so red, that she felt like she was on fire. 

“You see, wench,” Jaime purred as his eyes and hands ran over her again, “What I want, I get. And I told you I wanted to see, kiss, and fuck you.”

“You didn’t even take off my panties,” Brienne flustered between the kisses he pressed onto her mouth.

Jaime smirked, “Wasn’t a problem earlier, was it?”

She bit her lip, “Aren’t I heavy?”

“Do you think I’m heavy when I’m on top of you?”

“Of course not!”

Jaime then smiled gently as his palms ran up and down her sides to sooth her, “Then you know my answer.” He reached over to the object he had thrown onto his pillows and she saw that it was one of their bottles of lube. “Here,” he said and wrapped her hands around it.

Brienne tilted forward to rest her forehead on Jaime’s shoulder, looking down at his cock between them, so that she wouldn’t have to stare at his face. She had never tried this position before, hadn’t really even imagined trying it, and she hadn’t thought that anyone would  _ ever _ want big, lumbering Brienne on top of them. But this was Jaime.

His hands settled on her back and he played with the ribbons that crossed over her spine, tracing triangles patiently as she shivered at his touch.

This was  _ Jaime _ .

She took a deep breath.

She continued to not look at his face, but now for a wholly different reason, and squeezed some of the lube into her hand. Setting the bottle aside, she warmed the slick fluid up by rubbing it slightly between her palms before she clasped Jaime’s cock.

Jaime hissed and she felt his chest rise and fall underneath her, his fingers pulling at the laces of her corset. “Fuck,” he swore as she worked the lube up and down his shaft and gently over the tip. She lifted her head and finally met his eyes. They were just so dark and almost stormy as he stared at her. She gave him one hard pump. He let out a sigh and his cock twitched in her hands. 

Brienne pursed her lips and lifted slightly off of him, one of her hands on his chest for balance. At this movement, Jaime’s grip immediately changed to her waist and he held her tightly while quickly guiding her over him. He then stopped just short of pulling her down onto him. 

He looked up into her eyes, “Whenever you’re ready.” His gaze was so patient and kind, although his fingers pressed desperately into her. He was letting her decide when she was ready and giving her the chance to control the pace. At that realization, her free hand pulled aside her panties and she fully sunk down onto him until they were flush against one another. She moaned at the sensation of being so completely filled and rocked against his body in the hopes of feeling him even deeper.

Jaime groaned, the sound coursing through them both, “Fuck, Brienne!”

She brought both of her hands up to his shoulders and used the leverage and the muscles of her thighs to lift up until only the tip of his cock remained in her before she fully sheathed him again with such force that she practically bounced on his lap.

“Wench!” Jaime growled and seemed to understand what she wanted. His knees bent and he began to thrust up into her as she lifted and came down onto him again. Brienne felt as though the world was filled with cotton as a haze of pleasure washed over her. Sometimes their thrusts would fall in time and she would feel so unbelievably full, and even when they didn’t, just the slide of him inside of her as her muscles made a desperate bid to clench down around him sent electricity shooting up her spine. All the while Jaime’s kisses just kept coming and their tongues plundered each other’s mouths. He left hickies low on her neck, and his beard braised her skin.

One of his hands pulled down one of her breast cups, and his tongue laved over the sensitive nub until it was so hard that she thought she could come from that sensation alone. Jaime moved onto her other breast and did the same, his fingers continuing to pinch the first one. Brienne’s nipples had never felt so tight, and for the first time when she came, her orgasm didn’t seem to centre around her core but on her chest instead. Jaime continued to thrust into her at a demanding pace as she sobbed his name until she was coherent enough again to participate in her own rough ride. 

That was when she felt another tug on her panties and a slick finger circle around her back entrance. Jaime stared at her, “Do you want to try?” he rumbled, his lips pressing just under her ear.

Brienne didn’t even have to think about it and halted her movements. She nodded shyly at him then buried her mouth against Jaime’s shoulder and bit down as he too slowed the movement of his hips and pushed one finger inside her, stretching her gently, then beginning to move at a quicker pace again. The gentle movement of his finger in comparison to his punishing thrusts, the combined sensation of two disparate sensations caused her to bite down just a touch harder than she had intended. Instead of the cry of pain that she had expected from Jaime, she received a shout of pleasure. Still though, she soothed the wound with her tongue before she bit down into the muscle of his shoulder again.

This time he came with a roar, his finger leaving her, and she couldn’t help but grin satisfactorily against his skin.

She stayed on his lap, his cock still inside of her, as they both tried to regain their breath. She could feel him softening and for some reason that made her want to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him close. So she did. 

“Did that feel good?” Jaime asked tentatively and kissed her temple.

“I didn’t know that this position could be this much fun,” Brienne replied honestly as she kissed the base of his jaw. 

Jaime chuckled and rubbed his nose into her hair. “I need to clean up, but get comfortable and I’ll be back with a cloth.”

Brienne nodded as she lifted off of his lap. Jaime crawled off the bed and hurriedly retreated to the washroom. She undid her corset and slipped off her somewhat stretched panties. Worth it, she determined as she dropped everything over the edge of the bed and onto the floor. 

“Jaime! You don’t need to bring a cloth, I’ll just use the washroom after you?”

The washroom door opened and revealed Jaime holding the washcloth he had already prepared. He set it down on the counter. “Okay,” he replied then replaced her on the bed. She peed, cleaned up, and washed her hands. Brienne looked into the mirror. There was a sort of redness that stayed on her skin even as her blush died and she guessed that it was from his growing beard. It was finally at a length where he needed to groom it and from the new things on his counter, he had recently gone out to buy all the necessary beard grooming gear. Brienne also took in all of the hickeys that would surely be blooming on her skin tomorrow morning. She smiled. Tomorrow morning when she would have breakfast with Jaime after deliberately staying over.

She came out of the washroom to see Jaime on the bed with a mug of hot honey lemon water ready and a blanket to wrap around her. Brienne scurried into his waiting arms and for the first time, he didn’t ask whether she wanted to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comments of the chapter (two because both of them made me cackle):
> 
> She tried not to focus too much on the stupid little emoticon Jaime had sent her along with one of his messages. After all, she had stupidly added one to his name too and it meant nothing, nothing at all. --> I feel like a 5 year old claiming to be a dragon is more believable 
> 
> She bit her lip, “Aren’t I heavy?” --> COME ON! YOU RODE HIS FACE!


	18. Interior Design

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!!! This... has been my favourite chapter so far. One to write, but also two to see lewispanda beta. You'll see, you'll see.

Jaime made several overhand knots on the ropes that hung down her torso and draped to the floor. Gently, he pulled the rest of the rope between her legs, up her back, and slipped it through a loop that he had tied to the middle of the rope when he had draped both sides around her neck and over her shoulders. With a bit of a tug, he came back in front of her. “It’s supposed to be form fitting,” he explained, “Leaving rope marks for a few hours even after it’s off. Is this amount of tension comfortable?”

Having never had rope pressed up against her genitals before, Brienne couldn’t really describe it as comfortable neither uncomfortable, but it  _ was thrilling _ . “I think it should be okay, I’m just not used to the feeling,” Brienne replied honestly.

Jaime kissed her on the shoulder, “Breakfast will tell us if you’re okay with it or not. If not, I’ll take the rope dress off.”

Brienne nodded shyly as Jaime separated the two strands and brought the ropes back to her front, over her breasts, then pulled them through the loops the knots draping down her front had created. He reversed the tension on both strands, which turned the shape between the two knots into a diamond. 

Instead of circling back behind her to cross and knot the ropes against her spine, Jaime pulled her close to him, nearly causing her to fall against him, in a show of dominance that she hadn’t been expecting, but that immediately had her keening in pleasure. He made a quick knot against her spine, then he pulled the rope back to the front again, but this time under her breasts, guiding her upright while he did so. Their eyes met and Brienne bit her lip at the way Jaime’s eyes  _ gleamed _ . He repeated the same pattern again and again, creating more diamonds as he bound her. She was sure the ropes nestled against her sex were already wet with her arousal and that he could feel how her heart had sped up.

As Jaime worked, she watched him add what must have been little flourishes to his rope work by twisting the strands at particular points, and she wondered how those twists would change the look of the rope marks that would be left on her skin. 

When he reached the base of her spine, Jaime spun her around and she felt him tie off the rope dress and tuck away the ends before turning her back to face him again. He adjusted the individual pieces of rope on her skin then leaned forward, running his fingers over her torso tenderly, “Asha came through. This is the exact colour I wanted,” his voice rumbled. He nipped her on the shoulder, right beside where a strand of rope sat, then pulled her naked body flush against his. 

“What is with you and the colour blue?” Brienne muttered as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her lips to his jawbone, sucking on the skin there.

Jaime groaned and she could feel him hard between them. “Brienne,” he purred teasingly, “We’re going to be late for work if you keep this up.”

She pulled her head back, “You started it!” Jaime grinned. “And please, by my count we still have an hour before we even need to start with breakfast.”

Jaime shook his head. “Actually,” he said then slinked towards their open box of sexy things. He dug through the contents for a moment before he pulled out another long thread of 4 mm rope. “I wondered if you would be interested in trying to put one on me.”

Brienne blinked at him.

“I want to be on your mind all day, but I also want you to be on my mind all day, not that that won’t already be true,” Jaime grinned boyishly.

Brienne turned unbelievably red as Jaime approached her with the un-dyed hemp rope. “Are you sure? I’ve never…”

“I’ll guide you through it,” he promised, “If you want to. You don’t have—“

“I would like to!” Brienne blurted then felt herself go blotchy with embarrassment. The thought of Jaime knotted up in rope was already spectacular, she couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to see in real life.

Jaime chuckled and nodded, allowing the rope to unfurl in his hands and the tails to drop to the floor. “Here,” he said and passed it to her, “Just like I did, the first thing you do is find the middle of the rope and make an overhand knot so that you have a small loop.”

Brienne listened carefully to Jaime’s instructions, sometimes with too much concentration as Jaime often chuckled and brought his thumb up to smooth out her furrowed brow, but this was the first time that she was tying  _ him _ up, and the last thing she wanted to do was to get something wrong, or worse yet, hurt him. 

“You can pull it a little tighter,” Jaime instructed as she pulled the tails through the loop sitting at the back of his neck. She pulled gently and Jaime nodded when he felt the tightness was right. Carefully and without the extra flourishes or the show of dominance, Brienne circled around him to wrap Jaime up in the rope.

“There,” she hummed proudly, after tying off and tucking away the tails. She ran her fingers over the muscles of his back, revelling each time they traced over a rough hemp strand.

“How are you feeling?” Jaime asked as he moved and stretched. Brienne couldn’t take her eyes off of his lithe form as the rope only seemed to enhance all of his already defined lines. The sight was  _ obscene _ .

Brienne fingered her own rope dress, “Pretty comfortable, I almost forgot about it,” she murmured and continued to watch him, a deep hunger unfurling in her core.

Jaime nodded. “Still, put a pair of shears in your bag just in case,” he said then turned towards her. From the wicked look in his eyes, she realized that all of his darned stretching  _ had _ been for her benefit. One of his hands was now stroking his cock lazily. “We still have almost half an hour, more if we scarf down breakfast.”

It hadn’t escaped her notice that Jaime had been erect the entire time that she had been binding him, but his pleasure had been secondary to his comfort then. Now though, that he was obviously at ease, his pleasure was foremost on her mind. 

Brienne swallowed, the world blurring except for Jaime, then breathed out one word, “Green.”

“Kneel,” Jaime growled and she immediately went to her knees. 

Jaime’s free hand softly tangled in her hair as she wrapped her fingers around the hand gripping his shaft and fondled his testicles with her other hand. He applied a gentle pressure to the back of her head, enough to guide her but not enough that even the most minute amount of hesitance from her couldn’t easily have her pulling away. He brought himself to her lips, then his fingers eased away from his cock so that Brienne could take control.

She stuck her tongue out to lick at the tip then immediately tried to take in as much of his cock as she could until she felt the tip hit the back of her mouth. Her tongue swirled around him and she hollowed her cheeks. She could feel his fingers curling in her hair tighter, although the pressure pushing her towards him didn’t change. 

“Fuck, wench,” Jaime groaned as she pulled back slowly and ran the tip of her tongue along the underside while massaging his balls and pumping her hand at the base.

She looked up at him, trying to gauge what actions he enjoyed most as she continued to lick and suck and fondle, but when their eyes met, Jaime involuntarily thrust his cock deep into her mouth, the tip grazing the entrance to her throat, making her gag ever so slightly. 

“Shit, sorry” Jaime hissed as his grip on her hair loosened, “Are—“

But before he could pull back, Brienne wrapped an arm behind him and grabbed his ass, pulling him back towards her. His cock reached that same spot again, and just like the first time, she weirdly  _ liked _ it. She let him slide from her lips, “I can use the safe words or draw away if I don’t like what you’re doing, sir,” Brienne murmured and nibbled on his thigh, “You can also just slow down if you think you did something I didn’t like, but you don’t have to stop.”

“But what if—“ Jaime hesitated.

She understood where his reticence was coming from, but she thought she had a good reply that would get her what she wanted too. “I trust you enough to say yes,” Brienne murmured and rested her cheek on his thigh then looked back up on him, “But more importantly, I trust you enough to say no.”

She couldn’t quite discern the emotion that crossed Jaime’s face. Something close to admiration and awe, but  _ more _ .

Brienne continued as her fingers ran along the rope sitting against his hips, “And I understand how much it means that you let me put this on you,” Brienne whispered. Jaime had found her furrowed brows funny, but she had understood the true weight of his trust.

Jaime let out a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. “This open dialogue thing is wild. I won’t stop every single time, but I will if I’m really unsure if you’re enjoying yourself though. We can always start again. I can’t unhurt you.”

She nodded and smiled. “Fair compromise. Now can I continue…” Brienne waved at his still erect penis and turned what she knew was probably a ridiculous shade of red.

Jaime chuckled and combed his fingers through her hair again, curling them and tightening his grip. Heat blazed down her spine as she wrapped her lips around him once more. This time he didn’t stop when she did something that caused him to jerk, but respectfully kept close to the limits she had previously established, and Brienne lapped him up until he spilled onto her tongue. 

Brienne stood up and rubbed her knees, reaching for her work clothes. However, Jaime wasn’t even close to finished yet. “What do you think you’re doing, wench? It’s my turn to have some fun.” The next moment she found herself bent over the back of his chair, her hands braced on the seat for balance, the ropes against her vulva pulled to either side and his tongue working away in her, while his thumb stroked the entrance to her ass. 

She felt Jaime smirk as she screamed his name in pleasure. 

They ended up running out of his place while still stuffing their breakfasts into their mouths, a pair of safety shears tucked into both of their work bags.

When she finally got to work and Podrick greeted her with a happy “Good morning, Ms. Tarth!”, she cemented what her commute had told her. Everyone was none the wiser to what she was wearing under her work trousers and blouse, and the thought positively delighted her. 

A cup of coffee and several documents were waiting for her on her desk. Over the past couple of months, Podrick had really been coming into his own as her assistant.

As soon as she sat down and her computer turned on, Podrick was at her door with his brand new company tablet in hand. “Your meeting with Croft Realtor’s and Burning Bright Enterprises is confirmed for 1 pm. Croft’s will be sending one representative while Burning Bright will be sending two. I have ordered coffee and pastries for the meeting and will go pick them up about 10 minutes before they get here. Renly won’t be attending the meeting today.”

Brienne smiled at the R2D2 case Podrick had bought for his tablet and then lifted her gaze to his face, “Thank you, Podrick.”

Podrick blushed and nodded before he returned to his desk. She quickly flipped through the files that he had printed out for her, packages about Evenstar Architects for the Burning Bright representatives, then accessed her work email. 

There was one message from Croft Realtor’s.

_ Dear Brienne, _

_ I’d like to think of us as friends considering all the times that we’ve worked together, so I hope it’s okay that I will leave behind some of my professionalism in this email to you.  _

_ I have told you that my partner will be the one working with you as the realtor for the Baratheon Estates and that I trust him with your project completely. This is still true, and will always be true, but I feel that I do need to warn you, his and my style are very un-alike.  _

_ Please be prepared to rein him in a little.  _

_ And by the Seven. _

_ Do not compliment him more than once per hour. _

_ Kindest regards, _

_ Tysha Croft _

_ Realtor _

_ Croft Realtor’s _

_ Floor 32, 455 Visenya Hill _

_ King’s Landing, Crownlands _

_ Phone: 5683-897-466 _

__

_ P.S. TEXT ME _

Brienne pursed her lips as soon as she finished reading the correspondence and then pulled out her phone. She quickly sent off a text message. She got a reply within a second. 

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: So… I got your email? _

_ Tysha Croft: He has a big head, but I swear he’ll do you good _

_ Tysha Croft: *whispers* He’s better than I am _

_ Tysha Croft: But as stated, don’t tell him I said that *raised hands* _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Now tell me again about the brilliant asshat interior designer I’m to be working with _

_ Tysha Croft: He’s a brilliant  _ cocky _ asshat _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Thank you _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: So much more clear now _

_ Tysha Croft: You’re welcome *kisses* _

_ Tysha Croft: Have fun with your sausage fest *eggplant eggplant eggplant* _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Hey, that’s what I called it! _

_ Tysha Croft: You called something a sausage fest?!?! _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’m not wrong _

_ Tysha Croft: You’re not wrong!!! *fireworks* _

Brienne snorted. Tysha always had an odd texting style, but it had grown on her over the months and years they had collaborated on projects together. Even if they weren’t going to be working on the Baratheon Estate’s together, Brienne made a mental note to schedule a coffee or dinner date with the woman. 

Brienne put her phone away before she got the urge to switch to another, much less professional text conversation.

She spent the rest of the morning reviewing her notes on her presentation and ordering delivery, while not being able to help but fiddle with the rope that sat just under the collar of her shirt the whole time. Several times, she had to pull her mind back from imagining what the rope marks on Jaime would look like when she would undo them that evening, but a not insignificant amount of time she let her mind wander with the excuse that it was better to let it do that now rather than later. She rubbed her thighs together and the rope between them rubbed gently against her clit. Definitely better now rather than later. Never had Brienne been happier that the worst she would have to deal with was damp rope and underwear, she genuinely wondered how Jaime was coping all day.

When noon finally hit, the elevator to their office pinged and a deliveryman arrived. Podrick stared up at him bewildered then checked his tablet frantically. “Don’t worry about it, Podrick!” Brienne shouted, “I got lunch for the both of us.”

Podrick’s head sprung up as he stared at her in befuddlement, “Ms. Tarth?”

“As a thank you,” Brienne replied and took the bags from the delivery man, thanking him then letting him go on his way.

“For what?” Podrick asked and stood up to follow her to the conference room to eat.

Brienne just looked over her shoulder and smiled at her assistant, “For everything.”

Podrick grinned at her happily as they sat down and pulled out the lunches she had ordered for them. Brienne was glad that she had gotten more than what she had thought two people could eat, because it turned out that Podrick could mow through a plate of food in a heartbeat. 

At fifteen minutes until 1pm, Podrick took all of their containers and ran them to recycling before departing to the coffee shop. Brienne took the moment of respite to pull out her phone again. She tipped her deliveryman and texted Jaime.

_ The Idiot ♥︎: Haven’t been able to stop thinking about you <3 _

Brienne blushed. Really, Jaime needed to learn where it was appropriate to put that emoticon. She ignored the heart that she had stamped beside his name.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: It’s oddly easy to forget about _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: Well that’s not what I wanted _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: And I know you’re lying _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Well… if I move in just the right way _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: Tell me you think about me _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I think about you _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: That’s what I like to hear _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: This morning was just a taste of what I have in store for us tonight _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Honestly Jaime _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: We’re at work _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: Can you honestly tell me you aren’t rubbing your thighs together right now? _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: … _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: So. Apparently one of the people I’m going to be working with very closely for the next little while is, and I quote, “a cocky asshat” _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: Smooth dodge Miss Tarth _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: If he’s too much of a dick, I can punch him for you <3 _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: That’s very nice of you _

Brienne heard her elevator ding. She typed her last message quickly.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: People have arrived. I’ll see you later <3 _

__

She hadn’t even locked her phone yet by the time she realized what she had done. The urge to scream nearly tore the sound out of her throat, but she pulled herself together and rushed out to Podrick’s desk. A short man, who looked only a little bit older than her, was waiting there. Brienne blinked as she tried to figure out whether the man was Tysha’s partner or one of the Burning Bright interior designers. Luckily, she didn’t have to ponder for long. 

He greeted her with a large smile. “Ms. Tarth, your reputation precedes you. And more, importantly Tysha has many good things to say about you. I’m Tyrion, Tyrion Croft.”

For a second, Brienne wondered how many men with dwarfism were named Tyrion, then took his outstretched hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Croft. Tysha has been wonderful to work with, and she had many wonderful things to say about you too.”

The elevator dinged and another man stepped off. Tyrion acknowledged him with a wave but continued to hold Brienne’s attention, “Not all wonderful, I’m going to surmise. My wife does have a sharp tongue about her. Oh, and please, call me Tyrion. Mr. Croft sounds awfully stuffy and I do resent stuffiness.”

Brienne smiled as the tall copper-haired gentleman came up to the two of them, “Tysha is as sharp as a whip, Tyrion.”

Tyrion nodded approvingly then gestured at the new arrival, “This is Mr. Addam Marbrand, the lead interior designer in Lannisport and founder of Burning Bright Enterprises.”

“Pleasure to meet you Ms. Tarth.” He held out his hand, but before she could take it in a firm handshake, Addam’s thumb folded over her fingers and he brought it up to his lips. 

Brienne resisted the urge to squeak as her hand fell back to her side. There was nothing she could do about her blush. “It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you too, Mr. Marbrand. Your company’s portfolios are spectacular.” So this couldn’t be the asshat. She wondered how much she would regret not being able to work with him once the cocky bastard appeared.

Addam chuckled, “Addam, please. And thank you, Ms. Tarth.”

She looked between the two of them, “Please, call me Brienne. I was told we were expecting one more?”

Tyrion looked at Addam and raised his eyebrow. Brienne watched as Addam rolled his eyes, “He’ll be up in a minute.”

“Another existential crisis?” Tyrion snorted.

Addam huffed, “Yes. It was an emoticon this time.”

“Drama llama,” Tyrion muttered. Brienne wrinkled her nose as a record in her brain scratched, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint which.

“The conference room is right this way, we can set up while we wait for my assistant to return and your colleague to arrive.” Brienne led them to the conference room where they continued their small talk while both Tyrion and Addam connected their devices to her projector.

Not five minutes later, Podrick was at the door with a large insulated container of coffee in hand. “My apologies for not being here to receive you, Mr. Croft, Mr. Marbrand,” he squeaked in embarrassment and nodded his head towards Brienne in apology.

She waved away his apology with an encouraging smile. It wasn’t his job to be in two places at once, and really, she could greet two people just fine. “Do you need help with the pastries, are they outside on your desk?” Brienne asked as she moved to help her assistant.

“Oh, no, Ms. Tarth—“

“Ms. Tarth?” an all too familiar voice echoed in bewilderment from behind Podrick.

“—Mr. Lannister has already volunteered to help me with those.”

“Mr. Lannister?” Brienne gaped. 

And then for some incongruous reason, Jaime stepped into her conference room holding a box of assorted pastries. Jaime, who she had only just parted from 4.5 hours before. Jaime, who had put her in rope bondage an hour before that. Jaime, whose tongue regularly made her see stars, including that very morning.

Suddenly, the rope dress that had been fairly easy not to think about elbowed its way to the forefront of her senses and she could feel every bit of it, every twist and every flourish that pressed against her skin. There was a chance that she was on fire. She hoped to the Seven that Jaime felt the same way as she stared at him.

The first thing that burst out of her mouth after she fully registered that it was  _ Jaime _ there in front of her was: “Podrick... we’re going to need more milk and sugar for the coffees!”

“Um…” Podrick muttered, confused at Brienne’s outburst, “There’s more milk in the fridge, and I know I have extra sugar somewhere. I’ll go find some.”

Jaime’s shock turned to a bright and amused grin, which couldn’t possibly bode well for her. “Still on about how I drink my coffee,  _ Miss Tarth _ ?”

Brienne’s face flamed and she resisted the urge to squirm. “It’s an abomination,  _ sir _ ,” she hissed right back and took pleasure at the slight widening of Jaime’s eyes, his pupils dilating. She resisted the urge to flicker her eyes down to assess his  _ situation _ . That would only give Jaime a win he would surely cash in that evening.

Tyrion slinked into her peripheral vision and positioned himself between them, “Do you know my brother?”

“ _ You _ are the cocky asshat!” Brienne blurted, looking straight at Jaime.

A moment of silence ensued, followed by the fall of Jaime’s face and the bright laughter of both Tyrion and Addam. “Tysha's favourite nickname for my dear brother,” Tyrion crew affectionately. “So how do you know Jaime, Brienne?”

Brienne pursed her lips and  _ glared _ at Jaime. He bit his bottom lip to prevent himself from laughing, or even worse, starting with his titular ‘ _ Well… we met on a forum… _ ’

At their lack of an answer, Tyrion decided to try to seek for one all on his own. It was embarrassingly quick how fast he got to it. He only needed to zero in on Brienne’s left hand where she wore Jaime’s  _ matching ring _ . 

Tyrion turned towards his brother with wide eyes, “Is Brienne the woman you eloped with?”

“What?” Brienne squeaked in befuddlement. Where had  _ that _ come from?

“Wait, have we finally found her?” Addam added as he slid over and stared at her ring from all angles like a particularly inquisitive bird.

“Jaime, what did you tell them?” Brienne exclaimed.

Jaime looked near thunderous, glaring at his brother and co-worker. “I didn’t say anything about marriage!” 

Brienne couldn’t help the taunting voice in the back of her mind that reminded her that,  _ of course _ , he would be angry they were mocking him for being married to  _ her _ . But more than her own insecurities, marriage implied romantic love, and from his death glare at the other two men in the room it was blatantly clear that it was only she who romantically loved him. But Brienne already knew that. He had only broken up with his partner of a decade and a half a year ago and wasn’t ready for romance again yet. Plus, romantic love was hardly everything.

“You didn’t have to say anything,” Addam snorted and looked at Jaime with a raised eyebrow, “I seem to remember a very long we—“

“Shut up,” Jaime snapped, and oddly enough seemed to flush.

Addam just continued to snort until he burst out in laughter, “Good gods, Tyrion! She is  _ the _ wife!”

“She is!” Tyrion crowed.

Brienne didn’t know how to help Jaime. “I’m not—“

“She’s not—“

“Um… Ms. Tarth?” All four of them stopped talking and turned towards Podrick as he held out a carton of milk and a Tupperware of sugar packets, “I found you more milk and sugar.”

Feeling like she had just run a marathon in space, Brienne managed to breathe out a grateful, “Thank you, Podrick.”

* * *

Brienne dutifully stared at the projector screen, doing her best to ignore the warm body that sat beside her, and whom she was sure was getting closer and closer with every passing minute. Was it him that was moving? Or was it her? She didn’t know, but she needed to concentrate on the damn presentation and not on him. 

Thank the Seven that Podrick was an excellent note taker. 

Tyrion Croft née Lannister was an artful presenter, and she could tell by a familiar wicked gleam in his eye that he was also a brilliant multitasker. He definitely wasn’t one hundred percent focused on what he was saying about Croft’s Realtors and what he could bring to the Baratheon Estates. No. Part of his attention was definitely on her and Jaime, and Brienne just bloody hoped that her face wasn’t as red as she was pretty sure it was. 

“So that is what I can do for you, Brienne. Fairly similar to Tysha’s style, although I do have a bit more flare for the dramatic. It’s in the family, after all,” Tyrion finished with an impish grin, “I’ll be able to tell you more once you show us what you have planned for the Baratheon Estates.”

Brienne gave Tyrion a nod of acknowledgement, “Thank you very much for all that information. If you’d like to set up, Addam,  _ Jaime _ —“ curses, her voice had definitely softened when she had said his name, “I’ll make a couple alterations to my own presentation in accordance to what you have told me.”

Tyrion took a seat and continued to smile at her while flicking his eyes over toward his brother, who was staunchly ignoring him. Brienne opened her laptop and slid her chair so that she was next to Podrick. They began making the minor adjustments to her presentation now that she better understood the difference between how Tysha and Tyrion undertook their position. She hated to admit it, but Tyrion was much more suited for the project. It was obvious that his background was similar to that of Renly’s, even if she hadn’t known some of his family history, and so he knew better how to navigate the types of people whom Renly would want to draw towards purchasing or renting spaces at the Estates. Tysha was better with things that were community oriented.

“Brienne, we’ll be ready once the presentation loads,” Jaime told her and touched her lightly on the shoulder, thankfully avoiding the rope. She wasn’t sure whether or not she would survive  _ that _ . She would almost definitely let out a hedonistic shriek of  _ something _ , and that would be  _ terrible _ . 

Resisting the urge to shiver, Brienne looked up and nodded, then quickly made a few more edits to her presentation. She saved her work then closed her laptop. She poured three cups of coffee, gave one directly to Podrick – because her assistant had taste – and added heaps of sugar and milk to another then handed it to Jaime. She paused midway to reaching for her own cup, “Would either of you like another cup?” she asked as insouciantly as she could manage while she mechanically looked up towards the other two men in the room. By the looks on both Tyrion’s and Addam’s faces, she had not pulled off carefree well.

“If you don’t mind, I just take milk,” Addam grinned as he glanced at Jaime, who  _ was  _ able to take a casual sip of his drink then moved back to the front of the room, making no alterations to his beverage.

“And you?” Brienne asked Tyrion, who was now resting his chin in his hand and staring at her with amused eyes.

“Same as Jaime’s.”

Brienne wrinkled her nose, “Is it another family thing?”

Tyrion chuckled, “I’m usually more of a green tea drinker. When it comes to coffee, I am quite weak.”

At that, the corner of Brienne’s lip lifted and Jaime scowled at his brother. She knew that she hadn’t  _ really _ saved face by pretending that she had intentionally planned to pour a cup of coffee for everyone, but at least she now had Jaime’s brother on record insulting his taste in the beverage. Brienne went to quickly make the two extra cups of coffee, but found that Podrick had already beat her to it. “Thank you,” Brienne told him gratefully.

Podrick smiled at her, bashfully unaware of why the four other people in the room were acting all weird. “You’re welcome, Ms. Tarth.” 

Brienne turned back to the screen, “Please, begin anytime.”

“Thank you for having us here at Evenstar Architects,” Addam began. “Since this is the first time that we will be working together, I thought that I would tell you a little bit of the history of Burning Bright Enterprises before Jaime presents to you his portfolios, including some that we have not yet advertised through any of our media.”

Jaime continued, “After learning more about your and Renly Baratheon’s vision for the Baratheon Estates, I will investigate the best options for you and then the next time we meet—“ Jaime paused, “—at one of our offices, I’ll present to you my ideas for how we will approach the interior design. We’ll go from there.”

Brienne glanced at Podrick, who gave her a thumbs up to indicate that he was easily able to keep up with them. 

“I founded Burning Bright Enterprises about three years ago with the financial help of Jaime, who only officially joined our team as a designer about one year ago. Until Jaime joined our team, we operated exclusively out of Lannisport. Now we have offices there and here, and we plan to expand to Oldtown within the coming year,” Addam began. As he gave more details about Burning Bright Enterprise’s operations, Brienne couldn’t help but be enraptured by Addam’s presentation style. 

When Jaime started presenting his portfolios though, Addam immediately flew out of her mind. She had always known that Jaime was charisma personified, but seeing him in a professional setting was just a whole different kettle of fish. Although he had only been working as an interior designer for one year and his projects were mostly on the smaller end, she could see through the way he spoke about his portfolio how much care he had put into each and every single one of his projects. Each design spoke of the person that it was made for and Brienne couldn’t help the feeling of warmth that spread through her as she watched Jaime talk about what he was passionate about.

How had they never gotten around to discussing what their jobs were? What had she been missing all this time not knowing these details about his life?

“Do you have any questions, Brienne, Podrick?” Jaime asked.

Podrick seemed surprised to be addressed. He shook his head, then looked at Brienne for guidance. “No, that was wonderful,” Brienne praised, and it truly felt like she was gushing. “If you can give me another moment as I make a couple more adjustments, I’ll then show you the plans I have drawn up and the progress we have made.” She reconvened with Podrick before loading her presentation onto the screen. 

About one minute into her talk, Jaime exclaimed, “ _ You _ designed the Tyrell Solarium?”

Brienne blushed blotchily as she remembered the time they had been there together. “I did.”

Jaime leaned back in his chair and appraised her thoughtfully, but Addam took her reaction to mean something different. “My apologies, Brienne, that we didn’t know this beforehand. We do research on all the companies we may potentially be working with. But the day we received your proposal—“ 

Jaime’s eyes met hers, “I hadn’t been doing very well.” And then she knew that the day her file had hit his desk had been the day he had woken up after dreaming of her. 

Addam seemed to want to explain further, but Brienne didn’t let him. “Please, don’t apologize,” she replied, “I actually don’t advertise that I designed the Tyrell Solarium. As a small company I can only handle one project of that magnitude at a time, and word of mouth keeps me busy in that regard. This is why I like to organize our meetings as such, so that I may present my body of work in its totality.”

Tyrion, who hadn’t come to the same conclusions as Addam had in regards to Jaime and Brienne’s reactions and eye contact, was practically vibrating in his seat as he grinned at her and his brother in turns. 

Brienne continued her presentation taking short questions from her collaborators as she presented to them Renly’s vision and the plans they had drawn up for the Estate. She asked them to save the extensive questions for after, when they could more freely discuss the project. She couldn’t help the swelling of pride as all three of them gaped at her sketches and models for the Baratheon Estates, Podrick silently cheering her on at the back of the room. She tried not to seek out Jaime’s gaze more than the others, but she knew that she was drawn his way. His delighted smile and eager temperament allowed her to more easily overcome her usual anxiety. 

When she was nearly done, the sound of the elevator dinged and she shot Podrick a confused look, which he returned. He quickly rushed out of the conference room to see who had just arrived. 

Just as Brienne got out her final words, they all heard Podrick shout, “Mr. Bolton, I ask that you leave!” 

All four of them shot ramrod straight as Ramsay burst in through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About five billion years after coming up with this chapter title, do I realize that interior design could also refer to the ropes under the clothes 😂
> 
> lewispanda Beta comment(s!!!!) of the chapter (because I am hoarding them ALLLL)
> 
> One of his hands was now stroking his cock lazily. ---> I WAS NOT PREPARED  
> Addam huffed, “Yes. It was an emoticon this time.” ---> DUDE. I AM LAUGHING SO HARD I CAN'T BREATHE  
> “Drama llama,” Tyrion muttered. ---> WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME  
> "Ms. Tarth?” an all too familiar voice echoed in bewilderment from behind Podrick. ---> I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING  
> “Podrick... we’re going to need more milk and sugar for the coffees!” ---> MY BODY WAS NOT READY  
> “It’s an abomination, sir,” ---> SHE'S GOING IN FOR THE KILL


	19. Anatomy of a Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

Everyone was instantly on their feet as Ramsay Bolton appeared. Brienne watched as Jaime, Tyrion, and Addam all seemed to silently communicate to one another, and that was when she remembered she hadn’t been the only one in the room to turn down his contract. 

Ramsay immediately turned to her, “You ugly fucking bitch!” He took a step towards her. Brienne tried not to reel back, but instead straightened to stand strong and tall against his approach. “I fucking knew it. I knew that you conspired to have all the companies in King’s Landing turn my father and I down.”

Before Ramsay could get any closer to her, Jaime stepped between them, “Stay behind me,” he commanded, then turned towards Ramsay, “Mr. Bolton, stand down. Ms. Tarth—“

“Did she whore herself out to all of you? Is that how she got you on her side?” Ramsay snarled at the men in the room.

“Mr. Bolton, I would like you and your baseless accusations to please leave my offices right this instant!” Brienne made to pull Jaime behind  _ her _ , not liking how volatile Ramsay was acting. If he was going to try and attack her, then she would meet his challenge. Jaime pushed back against her efforts to keep himself between her and Ramsay, but she managed to wiggle herself next to him. “What are you doing, Jaime?” she hissed.

“I didn’t think that any man would be able to get his cock up for the beast,” Brienne froze as she tried to yank Jaime’s left shoulder back so that she could slip around him.  _ Beast _ . Her breathing sped up. “But I suppose a cunt is a cunt when a whore’s bent over.”

Brienne reengaged with her surroundings and wrapped her arms around Jaime’s torso just as she sensed that he was about to explode out of his skin. She felt herself jerk from the effort, her shoes squeaking against the floor, as he attempted to pounce at Ramsay like a lion going for the kill. 

She squeezed her eyes shut as she held onto Jaime for dear life.  _ The dark _ .  _ Any other woman _ . When he realized that she wasn’t going to let him go, Jaime placed his hand over hers and spun around. At the sight of her face, he tucked her head against the crook of his neck and tugged her in close. She felt absurd tears prickle at her eyes.

“Mr. Bolton.” Tyrion’s voice cut through the room like a knife, “Evenstar Architects had nothing to do with why Croft’s and Burning Bright turned your contract down. Now please, leave this office immediately.”

“Or I’ll escort you out,” Addam growled menacingly.

Podrick appeared at the door, breathing hard and searching for his boss, “Actually, security is going to escort you out, Mr. Bolton.” When Brienne looked up and met Podrick’s eyes, she could see the relief swim across his face.

A security guard stood beside Podrick. “Come with me Mr. Bolton. Don’t make this harder for yourself.”

Ramsay snarled at all of them and turned his milky eyes back on Brienne, “Don’t think I’m done with you, you filthy, conniving bitch.” 

The security guard grabbed him and hulled him out of the room. Brienne didn’t leave Jaime’s arms although the other three men went to the door to watch the security guard drag Ramsay into the elevator. 

Gentle fingers pushed her hair off of her forehead, “Hey, how are you doing?” Jaime asked quietly.

“Are you okay, Brienne?” Tyrion echoed, returning.

Brienne nodded, “I'm okay. I’ve just never had to deal with something like that at work before.”

Jaime’s eyebrows furrowed as his thumbs stroked her elbows, “You deal with that kind of shit elsewhere?”

She swallowed again and thought of Red and the guys at her old gym, “Well, not… not exactly like that, but women deal with this kind of stuff all the time.”

Addam rubbed his face as he sat down. “Seven, all of us turned that miserable project down and he just went right for it and blamed it all on you.”

“I guess, to him, I was somehow less of a threat because I’m a woman,” Brienne muttered as her thumbs traced down Jaime’s sides, getting an odd kind of comfort - one that she couldn’t fully explain - whenever they brushed over a strand of rope. There was nothing sexual about the way she felt; it was just… it was just… it was just good and safe. It was trust. 

Eventually, they all got back to sitting down again, but before they could continue their discussions on the Baratheon Estates, Podrick got a call on his tablet. “It’s security, Ms. Tarth,” he said and linked the call to the phone in the room. 

Jaime’s hand landed softly on her knee and he gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Brienne nodded at both of them and picked up the receiver. “Hello, Evenstar Architects.”

“Hello, Ms. Tarth. This is Elric Storm, the security guard who escorted Mr. Ramsay Bolton out of your office earlier. I thought that you would like an update on the situation.”

“Situation?” Brienne asked and straightened her spine, “Didn’t you just escort him out of the building? Should my colleagues hear this too? Actually, wait, I’ll put you on speakerphone.”

“What’s going on?” Tyrion asked.

“There’s more on Ramsay,” Brienne frowned and turned speakerphone on. 

“Can everyone hear me?”

“Yes, Mr. Storm.”

“Excellent. I would just like to inform you that Mr. Bolton has just been taken into custody.”

Addam’s forehead furrowed, “Custody?”

“Yes. Apparently, Evenstar Architects was not the first business he visited today. The Goldcloaks have been trying to catch up with him all day.”

“Was anyone hurt?” Brienne asked.

“No major injuries.” Which meant that he  _ had _ hurt  _ someone _ . “However, it seems that several of the businesses are filing police reports. I am informing you of the situation in case you would like to file one of your own.”

“I can do that, unless you would rather Ms. Tarth” Tyrion said. 

“That’s a generous offer, Tyrion. I appreciate it.”

Jaime leaned close to her and placed a comforting hand on her thigh, “He  _ likes _ paperwork. Like a psycho.” Brienne snorted as Tyrion rolled his eyes at his brother.

“The Goldcloaks have asked that it be submitted within the next 24 hours for processing.”

“That can be done,” Tyrion confirmed. 

“If I hear anything else, I will keep you updated, Ms. Tarth.”

“Thank you, Mr. Storm.”

The call ended and a sense of relief washed over Brienne. Ramsay wouldn’t be coming back. “Are you okay?” Jaime asked, moving his hand to the small of her back.

Brienne gave him a small smile, “I am.”

And with that the group continued their discussion on the Baratheon Estates.

However, as their meeting dragged on, anxiety once again started to gnaw at Brienne’s periphery. Although she was sure that she would be able to easily take down Ramsay if he ever tried to confront her again, the thought of having to face such an altercation alone left her feeling distressed. She wondered what would have happened if she had been alone in the conference room or in her office, what would have happened if  _ Podrick,  _ who had given them a warning and who had instantly run to get help, hadn’t been there. 

When their discussions ended and the meeting dissolved into casual conversation, Brienne excused herself with what she hoped was a confident smile and escaped to her office to take a breather.

She closed the blinds to the lobby and shut her door tightly then turned off the lights to reduce any stimulus that would distract her from trying to pull herself back together as fast as possible. She felt like she was being foolish, reacting so badly to a situation that she had convinced herself she would have had full control over, but as she leaned on her desk for support and found that that wasn’t enough, and she had to crouch on the ground to lower her center of gravity, the anxiety continued to claw away at her. 

Suddenly her ring began to glow softly. She gently touched the bear and wasn’t caught off guard by the knock on her door. “You can open it.”

Her office door creaked open, “Brienne?” Jaime’s voice called out softly.

“Sorry, I just needed a moment. Is everyone okay?”

Jaime paused at the threshold then asked with hesitation, “Everyone is fine. Don’t worry about Tyrion and Addam. Can I come in?”

Brienne took a deep breath and shivered. “Yes,” she murmured. The deep breath made her realize that she had been breathing quicker than usual. She wondered since when she had been doing that.

She heard the door latch again and then a warm coat was thrown over her shoulders and a hot cup of water was placed in front of her. His coat smelled like him. “You can tell me to leave anytime,” Jaime said quietly, and she looked over at him to see him crouching beside her, “I just thought that this would help. Podrick didn’t have any honey or lemons hiding around the place, though.”

Brienne pulled at the edges of Jaime’s coat closer around her and sipped at the drink. Almost like magic, she felt the anxiety begin to recede. “Thank you, Jaime,” Brienne said with a small smile.

“Warm things help you relax,” Jaime mumbled and brushed some hair out of her face. He said it like it was a fact that he knew deep to his very soul, and Brienne supposed that was true.

“What are the others doing? Sorry I had to slip out,” Brienne murmured.

“Still oohing and ahhing over your blueprints,” Jaime grinned, “Which by the way Brienne, you sly minx, just letting me go on and on about the Tyrell Solarium while you stood there.”

She blushed, “I rarely get to hear the opinion of strangers.”

Jaime's gaze seemed so deep, “We’re hardly strangers anymore.”

Brienne gave a small burst of laughter, “Very true. But at the time.”

He nodded in acquiescence. “Feeling a bit better?”

“Much, but still not quite right though,” Brienne muttered honestly and licked her chapped lips.

Suddenly, Jaime leaned over and pressed his lips gently against Brienne’s. It took him a second before he sprung away from her. She blinked at him slowly as a warmth from  _ within _ bloomed. “Shit, I’m so sorry,” he scrambled backwards with wide eyes, “Usually, along with the blankets and the hot water—”

Brienne just tilted her head and stared at him, still in a daze. She set her mug down. Then her fingers reached towards him and she curled them into the hairs at the nape of his neck. Before he could say anymore, she pulled him close and kissed him back. The warmth pulsed again. And Brienne felt better; better than even before Ramsay had charged into her conference room. She felt  _ wonderful _ .

Was this what it was like to kiss when you weren’t expecting more? Instead of it being about seeking sexual endeavours, it was more about the peace and elation that the act itself made you feel? 

Was this why couples kissed hello? Goodbye? Kissed just to kiss?

Jaime made a muffled sound of surprise.

_ Oh gods _ .  _ Couples _ . He had kissed her by accident and she had just… Brienne began to draw away.

But his hands then landed on her sides and pulled her closer. Closer. Closer. She pulled him  _ closer _ . By the time their lips parted, Brienne’s arms were wound tightly around Jaime’s neck and his arms were firmly around her waist. She had been dragged, had pounced, gracelessly onto his lap. “I think I just found another thing about our contract that was stupid. We should start kissing outside of scenes,” Brienne breathed out as her hands carded through his hair, “I feel great.”

The concept of not kissing outside of scenes was silly anyways, now that their scenes didn’t have the same bounds as they used to, now that they had established that aftercare wasn’t just for sex. She was wearing the rope dress he had put on her for Seven’s sake, and he was wearing the rope dress she had put on him. The situation they had just been in required an aftercare of sorts!

What she was trying not to think about was what kissing like this would do to her heart when Jaime eventually fell in love with someone else, would kiss someone else. But for now he had kissed her and she had kissed him and she needed to keep her mind only on that.

Jaime let out an airy laugh, nodded, and kissed her again.

* * *

Neither of them realized how much time had passed until Jaime’s phone lit up with a bunch of messages. Brienne blinked blearily as Jaime drew himself back from her swollen lips and shifted around to wiggle his phone out of the pocket of his pants. 

They were still sprawled on the floor, leaning against the side of her desk, playfully making out like carefree teenagers.

Jaime seemed to scroll through his text messages then messed up his hair in what almost seemed like boyish embarrassment. “Tyrion and Addam decided to continue discussions at a nearby pub,” he told her, “They dragged your assistant with them for a drink.”

“Oh,” Brienne replied non-committedly.

“They told us that we can join them if we want,” Jaime said particularly slowly, turning his emerald eyes back on her. And truly, if he, in any way, actually had been considering saying yes to that offer, he should not have looked so smoldering. 

Brienne bit her bottom lip and watched as Jaime’s gaze flickered down before returning back up. “How about we grab a drink with them another time?” Brienne murmured shyly.

Jaime seemed to find her bashfulness amusing, which she supposed was legitimate  _ considering _ , but nodded all the same. “Good, because I already told them that.”

She gave him a small playful frown, “Then why did you even ask me?”

He grinned and leaned in to whisper into her ear. And it really was unfair, the sensuous things that he could do with his voice. “Because, Brienne, I wanted to know how much you want me.”

She shot to her feet partly in indignation, partly to get out the door and back to his place faster. Jaime rolled onto his knees and then his feet with much more grace, stretching as he stood, and Brienne could practically see the way the ropes beneath his clothes were accentuating his build. He opened her office door to see that Podrick had left the lights on for them and headed to the conference room to get his stuff.

Petulantly, Brienne stuck her arms through the sleeves of Jaime’s coat and buttoned it up. It was slightly snug in some places, but knowing that it was Jaime’s made it so damn warm. It didn’t help that every so often she would get a waft of his scent from the collar. 

When Jaime returned with his things, Brienne held her own coat out for him. He raised an eyebrow, raked his eyes up and down her form, seemingly pleased with her brazen daylight robbery, then took her coat and put it on. Brienne didn’t know that she could feel so much pleasure from seeing him wearing her coat. She had seen him in her other clothes before, but this was almost more intimate, switching clothes that they would be going into the outside world in. 

“I’m going to have to make it up to Podrick for disappearing on him and leaving him to handle Tyrion and Addam alone,” Brienne sighed as she turned off her office lights and stood beside Jaime at the elevator. 

“I think that as long as you’re okay, he’ll be happy,” Jaime replied.

Brienne looked over at him, “Why do you say that?”

“I mean, I’ve only just met the lad, but he seems to think the world of you,” Jaime explained. The elevator dinged and they stepped on. “When you disappeared into your office, he just kept pacing between your door and the conference room not knowing what to do until I told him that I would go check on you. I’ve never seen someone get hot water so fast or rue not having lemons and honey in an office. Which reminds me, I should warn you, there may be an abundance of honey and lemons in your office come tomorrow.”

Brienne huffed, feeling tears of fondness gather in her eyes. She was so lucky to have Podrick as an assistant. He had been a lot of work to start off with, but truly, it had been more than worth it. 

The elevator dinged again and they stepped off. They walked through the nearly empty building atrium together and into the warm afternoon air. It was strange, having a companion to walk home with. Well, not to walk  _ home _ – Brienne tried not to blush at the slip in her thoughts. Sometimes they would fall into a comfortable silence where they would just enjoy the early evening, but most of the time they fell into easy banter and talked a little bit more about their lives. Specifically their jobs, now that it was apparent that they had never discussed the topic before. 

“Did you modify your home?” Jaime asked.

“I did. I got the original blueprints for the place, kept what was needed to sustain the infrastructure and changed the rest to my liking.”

Jaime hummed happily, “That explains a few things.”

“You decorated your own house.”

“My first project actually,” Jaime grinned. “It had been a long time since I had last used any of the skills I had learnt and developed in university and that house was my way of figuring it all out again. It went through a lot of different phases.”

“Are any of those phases in your portfolios?”

Jaime seemed to have to think about it, “I don’t think so, not anymore. They used to be, since I didn’t have much else and didn’t want to have Addam’s portfolios representing my work, but now that I have experience, I use my own new projects. A lot easier to show my potential for diversity.”

“Was it hard getting into interior design again after being in… business?” Brienne questioned and Jaime nodded in confirmation. “…for so long?”

“Easier than it could have been. As Addam said, I’ve had a stake in Burning Bright since it started, so I followed all of Addam’s projects. Once in a while he would come to me for advice if he was having a hard time, but that truly was just out of the goodness of his heart.”

Brienne hummed, “I like your style. I mean…” Brienne blushed, “Obviously, since I gave Renly your portfolio, but I like the way your place is decorated.”

“Big praise coming from the woman who designed the Tyrell Solarium,” Jaime laughed, “You should tell more people about your achievements. It should have been one of the first things you told me!”

“What?” Brienne looked at him bewildered, “No! That sounds so pompous.”

“It does not,” Jaime argued, “You should be louder about the things that make you amazing, Brienne.”

Brienne rolled her eyes, “I’m not amazing, Jaime.”

He grabbed her hand and stopped her in her tracks, “I beg to differ.”

“Honestly,” Brienne huffed in exasperation. 

“Honestly,” Jaime parroted, completely serious. 

They stood there in the middle of the sidewalk for a moment, just staring at one another, before Brienne let out a slow breath. “Okay… so the Tyrell Solarium is pretty nice.”

Jaime chuckled, “Not exactly what I wanted, but it’s a start.”

* * *

When they got back to Jaime’s, their movements seemed to flow in a way that was odd, and comforting, and odd, and longing, and…

Jaime helped slip his coat off her shoulders, his fingers brushing against her arms, the warm satin lining slipping off of her in the most innocuously sensuous way. She took off her shoes and helped him with his coat, Jaime turning his back towards her as though this was the kind of thing that they did every day. 

Without really having to confirm their intentions, Brienne took Jaime’s hand and his fingers curled around hers as they went up the stairs to his bedroom. There, just like downstairs, the heat between them was warm like embers. 

First, he undressed her. His movements were slow and deliberate - an open palm across her chest, the backward sweep of his fingers down her ribs. He undid her work trousers, and they fell like a sheet of water to the floor, where she stepped out of them and kicked them away to the side. She slipped out of her underwear and discarded them too. The only thing she was wearing now was the dress he had tied onto her. 

Next, she slowly undressed him, revealing the rope that she had so carefully wrapped him up with. Her movements over his skin had much less finesse, but Jaime wasn’t acting as well behaved as she had been either. He pulled her towards him so that skin pressed on skin as she peeled his dress shirt off of him and to take off his trousers she almost had to fight to get her hands between them. He was barely giving her any space between their bodies. 

“Untie me,” Jaime told her before he tangled his fingers through her hair and brought her in for another kiss. Although this kiss made her heart as warm as the kisses in her office had, the feeling was different. All of them were still so good, but so different. At least this feeling she was used to and knew how to handle. 

Jaime turned around and she undid the knot at the base of his spine then slowly reversed all of the movements that she had made that morning to get him out of the rope he had been tied up in all day. She tried not to concentrate on how hard he was as she made sure that she didn’t accidently tug the tails in the wrong way. 

However, as she undid the ties and then rope fell away from his skin, her focus on him only seemed to magnify. The marks that the rope had left behind were just so oddly… beautiful. She ran her tongue along a long line of rope marks that cut across his chest.

When at last the rope was able to simply drop from his body with a shrug of his shoulders, he was on her again. Brienne groaned as she felt him hard against her thigh while his tongue delved into her mouth, his hands tugging at the ropes on her hips to navigate her backwards to tumble onto the bed. 

“Are you comfortable?” he asked between wet, open mouthed kisses that began to move from her lips down her jaw and neck.

“What?” Brienne’s muddied brain managed to get out as she wrapped her legs around his hips and tried to pull him to her. 

“Are you okay with staying in that for a little while longer?”

Brienne blinked as Jaime hovered above her, one of his hands caressing her cheek. “Yes. But why?”

She watched with almost perverse fascination as Jaime’s smile became wicked. He leaned in close to her and nipped her on the ear, “Because I have plans for you wench. Now tell me—“

“Green,” Brienne moaned. 

Jaime smirked and pinched one of her nipples until she almost wanted to shriek in pleasure, “Good.”

He commanded her to sit on his bed facing away from him and when she heard their trunk open, but not close, Brienne realized that tonight was going to be one of the nights that Jaime was going to very well drive her crazy. 

“Grab your elbows behind your back, sweetling,” Jaime purred.

Brienne clasped her arms behind her, just above the small of her back. She felt more rope wrap around her forearms and then Jaime reached in front of her to give her other nipple a pinch. Brienne gasped in pleasure, her back arching, and it seemed that Jaime took that moment to anchor his double column tie to her rope dress. Her arms were now secured close to her body.

She whimpered as she felt the moisture pool between her thighs. Then Jaime gently placed something into one of her palms. “Do you remember how to use this, darling?” he asked softly and swept her hair over one of her shoulders, kissing her on the nape of her neck and at the first knob of her spine. 

Brienne clicked the device once and a dragon’s roar filled the bedroom, “One’s for yellow,” she managed to articulate although her tongue was beginning to feel too big for her mouth. She quickly clicked the device twice and the dragon produced two successive roars, “Two’s for red.”

Jaime’s lips were right beside her ear. “Wonderful, and if ever I need to hear your wonderful voice—“  _ If ever I need to hear you tell me you're okay _ . He brought the bit gag over her head and she opened her mouth so that it could sit comfortably between her teeth and lips, “I’ll just take this thing out.” 

She nodded frantically and rubbed her thighs together.

“Eager, aren’t we wench?”

Brienne whimpered and wiggled until she was turned around facing him. Again, he just seemed so damn  _ pleased _ by what was before him that it made Brienne shiver. 

Gently, he guided her to lie down, placing a pillow under her hips so that not too much pressure was put on her arms. Then he got on his knees on the bed and positioned himself between her thighs. Brienne genuinely hoped that he would just for  _ once _ not tease her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, positioning his hard cock so that it rubbed up against her labia to make a point. She really should have known better. 

Brienne also should have seen the two other bundles of blue rope that he had lain beside him. Jaime smirked as he undid one of them then gently put a hand just under one of her knees and bent her leg back until her calf touched her quads. Then he proceeded to bind her ankle to her thigh, checking to make sure that at least two fingers fit under the rope. He then anchored the tie to the front of her rope dress. Brienne squeaked in embarrassment as she realized what he meant to do and fire raced down her face, neck, and chest, although it was hardly the first time that he had tied her in some way to expose her like this. But every time,  _ every time, _ it was somehow different. 

Jaime ran his hand down her other leg, then grasped it gently beneath the knee and bent it too. He tied her ankle to her thigh, made his check, and anchored that to her dress as well. She was completely spread out before him, vulnerable and his for taking, and yet… her eyes scanned over him as he stared hungrily at her. All those marks on his skin were her doing. He had been exposed and vulnerable too. But exposed and vulnerable wasn’t all that it was. She felt  _ safe _ . And with that safety came a roaring heat. 

“Fuck,” Jaime breathed as his hand reached out to pet between her thighs, but not touch  _ her _ , “Brienne, do you know how wet you are? Even the rope is dripping.” He brought his fingers to his lips and wrapped them around the tips, pulling them from his mouth with a quiet pop. Brienne whimpered at the sight, her voice muffled by the gag.

There almost wasn’t any green left in Jaime’s eyes as he pulled the ropes against her sex apart once again and three of his fingers slid right in to the third knuckle. Brienne thrust her hips up desperately but found that she almost had no leverage from the way she was positioned. And from the sparkle in Jaime’s eyes, he knew it too. 

“Sweetling,” Jaime purred pleasantly, all too casually for a man who was curling his fingers inside of her and thrusting them with the intent of causing insanity, “I wish you could see how you look right now. You’d understand then that  _ amazing _ was a vast understatement.”

Brienne turned redder, for all kinds of reasons, as the thumb on Jaime’s other hand went to stroke her knee. It didn’t take long for him to send her over the edge. Especially since the heel of his palm was grinding maddeningly over her clit, and he was rumbling sweet, dirty  _ somethings _ in her ear. 

As Brienne tried to get air back into her lungs, Jaime jumped off the bed to grab more things from their box. Brienne blinked blearily as he came back with a bottle of lube and a thick, but tapered butt plug that was a size she was sure she had yet to try. “Is this okay?”

She swallowed and then nodded.

Jaime regarded her as he squeezed an abundance of lube onto the toy, “Just one click and I’ll take it out.”

Brienne nodded again and squirmed in her restraints. Jaime’s warm mouth descended on her breasts as the pressure of the plug against her asshole began to make itself known. She squirmed a little bit at the stretch, but it was more at the way that that flat of his tongue rasped across her nipple than at the delicate and slow pace he was working the plug into her. As he licked and bit at one breast, his fingers played and pinched at the other, but before long the tip of his tongue was dipping into the hollow at her clavicle and his hand was dancing patterns along her calves. She didn’t even notice when his other hand joined the actions of his first on her other leg until his mouth pulled away from her skin with a smile. 

“You’re so good, Brienne,” Jaime purred and rubbed his beard against her cheek, both affectionately and teasingly, pressing kisses to the corners of her mouth where the gag parted her lips. “Did you know,” he murmured as one of his hands combed through her hair, “That I’m not much larger than that is?”

Brienne was sure that there weren’t infinite shades of red, but she was sure the flush on her face was going to try and hit as many of those colours as it could before Jaime was done with her. She clenched down lightly around the plug and immediately pleasure tingled through her. She couldn’t imagine what the feeling of having something so large in her combined with the movements that his fingers would make as they gently slid in and out would be like.

“Jaime,” Brienne, tried to plead around her gag, but it came out near incomprehensible. In desperation, she pressed her cheek against his jaw and tried to get closer to him.

“Do you want me to fuck you, sweetling?” Jaime asked once again as though it were a common question.

“Jaime, I’ve wanted you in me since this morning.” She wasn’t sure how many of her words were actually understandable around the gag, but he seemed to know what she was saying well enough, for he once again straightened between her parted thighs. 

He palmed his cock with the hand smeared in lube and slowly pumped it as he brought the head to her entrance. “Do you know what else I wish you could see, Brienne?” Jaime asked as she squirmed at the feeling of having him  _ right there _ . 

“What?” she nearly begged in frustration.

He slowly pushed into her and Brienne’s back arched at the sensation of his cock filling her and shifting the butt plug as they almost seemed like they were fighting for space. Brienne wanted to scream. She was screaming. A muffled, needy, desperate version of his name that she could  _ feel _ made him quake.

Jaime’s voice came out strained, his fingers clenched around her calves as though he was physically holding himself back from just taking her  _ like she bloody wanted him to _ . “I wish you could see the way that your flushed cunt wraps, no, fucking  _ takes _ my cock,” for emphasize he brushed his fingers over the swollen lips where his body met with hers.

A string of expletives poured from her mouth. He chuckled brokenly, dark and heated, beautiful and pleased at her utter surrender.

She loved his dirty talk, she was probably ruining his sheets and creating a dreadfully large wet spot, but that was a problem for the Brienne and Jaime of the future. Right now she needed him to  _ fuck  _ her until she couldn’t see straight anymore.

“And wench, the way you clench around me when I—“

More muffled expletives poured out of her as she squeezed her pelvic floor muscles around him, urging him to just  _ fucking move _ . 

Jaime made a deep startled sound at her retaliation, but then the largest grin broke out on his face. “You fucking  _ wench _ .” And then finally, _ finally _ , he hooked his hands under her thighs, against her body, and snapped his hips until he was flush against her. “Is this what you want, sweetling?” She didn’t even have time to come down from her high pleasure keening arch before Jaime pulled back and was in her again, moving at a punishing pace that had her spiralling to the top and then riding high on waves as Jaime buffeted her back up before she could even come rolling down. 

When he came, he came with a startling roar that almost made her laugh between the shivers that wracked through her body. Her throat felt raw from urging him on, from screaming his name.

He was so quick next. The gag was the first to go and somehow she managed to get out that she was okay even though she was feeling  _ spectacular _ . Then Jaime gently worked the butt plug out of her, which was easier than she thought it would be. Her legs were free before she had even fully come to, and her arms out by the time she was ready to wrap herself around him. Then finally, and unlike her, he didn’t have to circle around and leave her embrace to take the rope dress off.

His kisses traced over her rope marks just as hers had traced over his. His hands running over her limbs, unfolding and then folding them back over himself to make sure that he hadn’t stressed any of her joints. “The sheets need to be washed,” he managed to chuckle out between sweet kisses to the marks around her breasts as he finished making sure that her limp, noodley body was okay. 

“Ugg,” was all Brienne managed to get out as she nibbled on his collarbone and wrapped herself tighter around him.

He pulled his blanket over her shoulders, “We can lay on the futon until we have the energy to put new sheets onto the bed.”

Brienne hummed and nuzzled into the crook of his neck. She pressed a kiss just under his ear and tried at purring, “I like your style,  _ Mr. Jaime Lannister _ .”

“Ugh, Brienne. Try not to be so bewitching. There’s no way I can go again so soon,” Jaime laughed and kissed her on the lips.

Brienne giggled and kissed him back. When she eventually relented to the inevitable and untangled herself from around him, they stripped the bed, with Jaime only somewhat making fun of the fact that she was still wrapped up in his blanket while they were doing so. However, he would rush over to her and pull it back up around her shoulders if it even dared to slip, kissing any bared shoulders before he would cover them back up again. When they finished, Jaime went to throw the sheets into the laundry while getting her a warm mug of honey lemon water from the kitchen. 

Brienne found some terrible movie and created a comfy nest on his futon. When Jaime returned, he jumped right into the comfort of her arms and they cuddled until they got hungry and cooked dinner together, then cuddled again until Brienne received a text. 

_ Tysha Croft: YOU’RE JAIME’S WIFE??? *shocked face* _

Jaime slapped his hand over his face and slid it down in exasperation when Brienne showed him the text, “Fucking Tyrion,” he muttered.

“Ridiculous,” Brienne half-heartedly agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta Conversation of the Chapter:
> 
> _“Ugh, Brienne. Try not to be so bewitching. There’s no way I can go again so soon,” Jaime laughed and kissed her on the lips._
> 
> LewisPanda: No one is moving anywhere xD
> 
> EryiScrye: Noooopppeeeee. I have caught myself so many times too... accidentally forgetting they don't live together, cause they so domestic xD
> 
> Honestly though...


	20. Ribbons and Bows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

Considering that Brienne wasn’t ready to dom yet, and Jaime wasn’t ready to sub yet, there weren’t many ways for Brienne to tease and drive Jaime crazy in scene. However, outside of scenes… outside she thought she might be able to gain something of an upper hand.

She had gotten Margaery and Sansa’s approval on her outfit, Margaery vibrating in delight as usual and Sansa calmly supportive as always. They had even instructed her how to sit and position herself to get the best effect. It had all been a very surreal lunch hour, posing on her office chair for her friends to see over their video chat. 

Brienne nervously tugged on the lapels of Jaime’s long woollen coat, the one that she had permanently stolen from his closet, and entered the building at the address on his company’s business card.

Burning Bright Enterprises was high up, but not on the top floor, and as Brienne rode the elevator, she shifted in her new flats and pulled on the sleeves of the sweater she was wearing under his coat. The coat hadn’t meant to be part of the tease - she had stolen it, with his permission, the last time she had been at his house because she liked it and associated it with comfort now - but it really did just pull the ensemble together. Or at least that had been Margaery’s not so humble assessment.

The elevator dinged and Brienne stepped off to be greeted immediately by who she surmised must have been Jaime’s assistant. “Welcome to the King’s Landing Branch of Burning Bright Enterprises,” the pretty girl said with a large smile, “My name is Pia Peckledon.”

“I’m Brienne Tarth from Evenstar Architects. I have a meeting with Jaime Lannister?”

Pia held out her tablet and tapped it a couple times, “Yes, at 3 pm. He’s been expecting you,” Pia couldn’t help but smile widely then and Brienne couldn’t help but let her heart melt a little at the young girl’s obvious delight. Pia Peckledon was quite short, almost a foot shorter than Brienne, and had a set of crooked teeth which left a bit of a gap right in the middle of her incisors, but all of that added to her immediate charm. “Right this way, Ms. Tarth. Can I get you something? A black coffee perhaps?”

Brienne’s eyebrow twitched at the large knowing smile that Pia attempted to hold back and wondered how the topic of her coffee preferences had ever come up between Addam, Jaime and Jaime’s assistant. “That would be wonderful Pia, thank you.”

Pia nodded, “Please, take a seat, Ms. Tarth. I’ll only be a moment.”

Brienne sat down in one of the plush armchairs that were placed in the lobby area and looked around. She couldn’t help the smile on her face as she took in the space. She immediately guessed that Jaime had been the one to decorate this office. The ambience of the place felt a lot like his home. 

That was when the man himself turned the corner, “Brienne!” Jaime exclaimed. Brienne clamoured onto her feet and turned to face him. She could feel the heat pool in her cheeks. Jaime always looked ridiculously good in dress shirts and dress pants, but the casual way in which he had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and how his tie was just slightly loose was nearly overwhelming, especially since she knew this had nothing to do with their scenes. His eyes traced down her form and the corner of his lip quirked at her choice of coat, “Pia was supposed to bring you to my office the moment you arrived. Where is the girl?”

Pia was suddenly there at Brienne’s side with her freshly brewed beverage, “Mr. Marbrand instructed me to get her a coffee with no milk and no sugar when she arrived, Mr. Lannister, since he would be too busy to do so himself.” The smile on her face was almost cheeky. 

Brienne glanced back and forth between Jaime and Pia while she grabbed hold of her coffee, wondering what silent conversation was being exchanged between the two of them. Whatever it was that they were communicating, it seemed like Jaime was on the losing end, for his lips morphed into a monster of a pout. “You’re supposed to be _my_ assistant, Pia.” His voice was almost a whine that made Brienne want to giggle.

“He said it was for your own good, Mr. Lannister!” Pia chirped and chided all at once.

Jaime rolled his eyes, “Fucking meddling… I thought I talked to them about—” he muttered, then turned to Brienne, “Let’s get to my office before a wild Addam appears,” he turned back to Pia, “The project in collaboration with Evenstar Architects is my last item of business for the day, you can take off once you’re finished, Pia.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lannister!”

Jaime nodded his head back toward where he had come from and Brienne trailed after him after giving a nod to his assistant. Pia waved at her with much too much energy and Brienne couldn’t help but smile at the girl’s overall energetic demeanour. “She’s sweet.”

“She’s too sweet sometimes,” Jaime snorted as he led her into his office and shut the door behind them, “Always trying to do what she thinks is the right thing by me. Annoyingly, it’s usually either Addam or Tyrion whispering in her ears.”

“What does that mean?” Brienne asked as she watched Jaime round around his desk and sit in his chair.

Jaime bit his bottom lip then shook his head as though to clear it of his thoughts, “It means a lot of things. Please, take a seat, Miss Tarth,” he told her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Brienne stood by the chair opposite him, his desk between them. Her fingers curled nervously around the back of her seat. “Before I start…” Brienne began. She had practiced this about… five billion times perhaps? It was embarrassing, but it was what she wanted and she was sure that Jaime and her would be responsible enough about it. 

Jaime regarded her with his soulful emerald eyes, and sighed with a smile quirking on his lips. “I know, I know. This is our job. We should keep things professional.” 

Brienne blinked in shock. "Huh?" 

“I got carried away the last time we met in professional circumstances and we weren’t able to finish our work. I won’t do anything that’ll distract us from work today, I promise.” 

Brienne blushed, “Um... Jaime...” There must have been something off about her voice because Jaime’s eyes immediately sharpened. 

She shyly slowly took off his coat and folded it over the back of her chair. Brienne watched as Jaime’s eyes raked slowly down the long sleeves of her sweater, his pupils dilating as they progressed. Instead of invisible stitching holding the seams together, a thick blue ribbon was woven through the panels of cashmere, crisscrossing over her forearms, and showing only the barest hint of skin. The ribbon tied off in a long floppy bow on the inside of her wrists. She crossed her wrists together and placed them over the folded coat for him to see clearly. It looked as if she was extending them towards him. She knew exactly what the imagery looked like. She had been planning to have a little bit of fun this meeting, after all.

But when Jaime didn’t react instantly, Brienne sighed then took a seat and pulled out her documents. She guessed there was no hope for their games now. “Jaime?” she questioned when he continued to not say anything. When she looked up at him, his eyes were trained on her wrists, though, instead of on the work at hand.

“ _Wench_ ,” he hissed under his breath, slowly bringing his gaze up to meet hers. He looked _hungry_ , like a predator that had just spotted its prey.

Heat flowed through her and coloured her cheeks and the long column of her neck. Jaime’s tongue darted out to lick his lips. He knew that always got her going. “I thought we were going to keep things professional,” she whispered, daring.

His gaze flickered to her wrists again, then to her neck and back to her face. He leaned back in his chair, his legs spread. She kept her eyes on his face with much difficulty. His hand went to cover his mouth as his eyes met hers again. “Brienne… what else did you wear today?”

Brienne stuck out her leg, pulled up the fabric of her trousers ever so slightly and flexed her ankle. Jaime's eyes widened again and a deep rumble emanated from his chest when he saw that attached to the back of her flat and wrapped artfully around her ankle was another decorative ribbon, once again tied in a floppy bow. “Do you like my new shoes?” Brienne asked demurely.

“I—“ Jaime pushed back in his chair as well, until it hit the thick window pane behind him and his hand went to cover the top half of his face, obscuring his expressions, the other arm crossed over his chest as though he were holding himself together. 

Brienne bit her bottom lip in delight, “Jaime? Are you okay?” 

“I’m taking this as a challenge wench,” he grinned at her, “But we’re going back to my place, your place, one of our places right after this meeting,” he growled and lowered his hand. She followed the movement of it as the back of his fingers swept over the curve of his hard and hidden cock. 

Brienne’s mouth felt dry at the images that her imagination immediately conjured for her, but she stuck to the challenge she had initiated, “But Jaime, we promised to have drinks with Tyrion and Addam.” Her eyes darted up to meet his.

“Fuck Tyrion and Addam,” Jaime continued to growl, his eyes so dark and so intense that it made her want to squirm and grab his tie.

Brienne placed her foot back down on the floor and settled herself once again in front of his desk. “Addam’s flying back to Lannisport tomorrow. It would be rude of _me_ to cancel on him.”

Jaime took in a deep breath and slid back into position behind his desk as well. He curled his finger, coaxing her to lean forward. His foot hooked around her ankle beneath his desk and their faces converged above. His breath hot against her ear although his lips weren’t touching her skin. “Well good thing I love a challenge, _Miss Tarth_.”

* * *

Jaime’s office was filled with a cloud of tension, the kind that made Brienne nearly squirm with need and sigh with frustration. The way his lips moved bordered on the brink of indecent, every flick of his fingers obscene. 

So close. So many times they both came so close to touching each other during their discussions, but every time one or the other drew away before skin could come in contact with skin.

Brienne knew that she wasn’t a seductress by far, but she wasn’t going to lose her one chance to give as much as she got. Every time Jaime dared to draw her attention to his jawline, she swept her hand over her clavicle. Whenever he made to lick his lips, she would bite down onto one of hers. If he was suggestive enough to demonstrate the lewdness of his hands by curling his fingers, she would gently play and tug at the ribbon on the inside of her wrists. The worst by far was when he touched his ring and made hers glow. The only thing she could do was mirror the action and hope that it caused the same feelings to course through him. Well, not the _same_ feelings, but good enough.

Their war wasn’t just a battle on one front either. No. It was a battle on two. It was a challenge to see who would be the first to drive the other to temptation while also testing to see who would be the first to lose focus on their work. On budgets and timelines and resources. What could have become a fairly unproductive meeting, like Margaery had thought it would be, had turned into a ridiculously productive one as both of them literally jumped at the chance to get ahead of their meeting’s agenda, their ridiculous competitive streaks egging them on to dance around each other in the most infuriating ways. 

“My designs would be easier to show you on my smart board,” Jaime said, a smooth, sticky, syrup-like undercurrent to his tone. Brienne resisted the urge to lick her lips in lieu of licking him.

“Okay, pull them up,” Brienne replied as she stood up and stretched, “Maybe we’ll be able to eliminate some of the candidates.” 

Jaime stood and didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was turned on from her. He turned on the smart board in his office, then leaned roguishly against his wall, his arms crossed and his eyes gleaming. The bastard knew exactly what that pose did for his forearms. “Shouldn’t you be asking Renly Baratheon’s opinions about my design choices, _Miss Tarth_?”

Brienne simply stood tall, one arm across her chest and the other reaching up so that she could stroke the junction of her shoulder and neck. “Well, _Mr. Jaime Lannister_ , Renly has given me authorization to make some preliminary decisions for him.”

Jaime quirked an eyebrow. “Trusts you, does he?”

“The Baratheon Estates are safe in my hands.”

All of the design concepts that Jaime had created for the project had already been given to her in ten neat manila envelopes which she would be able to photocopy and pass onto Renly when they met later on in the week. However, since there was more than enough time left before their agreed upon dinner time with Tyrion and Addam, they had decided to discuss the design concepts further in depth. Jaime used a smart board pen to tap the screen and opened up his concepts one by one. 

“This was the first idea. Fairly basic,” Jaime shrugged, “But I’ve learned to create designs that cover the whole range.”

Brienne eyes scanned through the photos and bit her lip. “Although Renly wants some of the Baratheon colours to be represented in the main halls of the Estate, he doesn’t want all of the rooms to be black and gold,” Brienne explained as Jaime flipped through conceptual images. 

He nodded and dragged two designs off to the side. “How about this one?” Jaime asked and tapped on another folder. 

Brienne appraised the concept as Jaime scrolled through the different elements he had put into it. There was definitely a lot more usage of colour in the palettes presented and the proposed use of space was efficient. “This one would probably be more to Renly’s liking, but I don’t know if he would be in awe of it.”

Jaime nodded again. “Okay, that gives me a better idea.” And then he upped the ante of their war. He stepped up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. Brienne held her breath at the contact and felt a flush race from her chest, up her neck and face. Jaime leaned forward and pressed his chest solidly against her back. “How about this one?” he asked casually, as though he hadn’t just sent lightning bolts shooting under her skin. He opened up another design. 

Brienne took in all of his ideas for this concept with fierce determination while her mind raced. She turned her head and looked back at him, her lips just dusting against his ear lobe, “This one is nice too, but again, I don’t think that Renly would be awed by it.” She leaned back against him and let her ass press against his pelvis. She could feel the thick hardness of him twitch against the curve of her rump. 

Jaime moved his hand so that it was now just below her ribs and anchored her against his body. His fingers were splayed over her abdomen and she knew that he could feel her breath quickening at the acknowledgement of just how big his hands were. “Would something like this be too garish?” Jaime asked next, his voice even, though deep and rumbling, and opened the next design. 

The concepts that were in this folder were much more varied, the colours plenty, vivid, and bright. “The overall theme might be appropriate, but although somehow you’ve managed to do it well, I don’t think he would want a rainbow in each room.” Brienne wiggled her hips and placed one of her hands over Jaime’s.

Jaime gasped, his lips against her neck. She tried not to moan at the feeling of soft, wet flesh against her heated skin. “The next one then.”

“But the colours…”

He opened the next concept and his hand slid down, with hers almost entwined on top of it, so that it was just below her navel. Brienne tried not to choke with want. Tried her best not to push his hand just a little bit lower. “How about this one?”

Brienne focused on the board and then gasped. She leaned forward, not into Jaime’s hold, but to see the board better. “How did you… how did you manage to create a colour theme for so many different rooms without any one of them looking tacky?”

“I grew up in a home that refused to use any colours but crimson and gold for all of our decorative needs. I had to learn for my own sanity.” Jaime grinned and pressed his lips below her ear, “ And also because I’m brilliant.”

“Cocky, you mean.”

Jaime thrust his hips against her ass and Brienne gasped for a different reason entirely.

A loud knock echoed from Jaime’s office door and the two of them burst apart like an explosion just as Addam came in with Tyrion at his side. “Pub time!” Addam crowed with just a hint of mischief in his voice, “We’ve come to collect you, you hard working, hard workers!” Jaime shot him a glare as Brienne tried to not burst into flames at nearly being caught.

“Did we interrupt something?” Tyrion asked, sounding like he knew they had definitely interrupted something.

* * *

Tyrion was at the bar getting them their second round of drinks. Empty plates and glasses were scattered on the table. Addam’s eye twitched when Jaime stretched his arm behind Brienne in their booth, the tips of his fingers brushing her opposite shoulder, and she leaned automatically into the warmth of his body. “Tell me again how you two met,” Addam remarked.

Brienne froze and turned to Jaime, who rolled his eyes, “Don’t take the bait, Brienne. He knows exactly how we met.”

“What?” Brienne hissed.

Jaime gave her a wry smile, “He knows the same way that your two friends know how we met. He was my safety call. Well, it was more subtle, my safety text.”

Brienne opened and closed her mouth. She hadn’t thought about Jaime needing a safety buddy, but it made absolute sense.

“Addam is actually on Seven Silks and Sands too.” Addam grunted in reply. Brienne still couldn’t help but flush bright red. Jaime grinned and patted her comfortingly on the knee with his other hand. “He’s been grumpy about it for the last while though, because a girl he thought he hit it off with ghosted him. He thought maybe he was finally going to find a long term partner.”

“I only got ghosted because you were being a giant doofus,” Addam sniffed and then turned to Brienne, “It was when you two were having your fight and Jaime was literally having an—“ Jaime tried to shove a hand into Addam’s mouth, but his entanglement with Brienne prevented him from moving fast enough, “Existential crisis all through the week and demanded my attention.”

“I was not—“

Brienne laughed at Jaime’s sulk and patted _him_ comfortingly on the knee. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure you’ll find another girl.”

Addam pouted, “Not like this one. She watches CityWatch and like… likes to cause chaos in forums. Seemed really cute and fun, too.”

“I watch CityWatch!” Brienne grinned excitedly and leaned forward, “What team do you support?”

Addam’s eyes lit up, “Ashemark. What team do you support?”

The conversation rung a bell in her memory and a thought occurred to her. “What team did this girl support?”

Addam’s eyebrow rose at her odd dodging of his question. Jaime looked between them, wariness growing on his face. “Evenfall.” Jaime’s eyes narrowed at Addam then flickered over to Brienne. Brienne could practically hear the cogs turning in Jaime’s brain.

“Oh gods,” Brienne said as she leaned back and picked up her glass of beer. What were the chances? She took a sip for fortification.

“What?” Jaime and Addam asked in very different tones. 

Brienne pressed her lips together as so not to laugh. “Addam, did you ever tell Jaime the username of this mystery girl?”

“No… thought it would be kind of dickish to do that while he was crying on the ground over his own.”

Brienne jerked a bit at Addam’s wording. She flickered her eyes over to Jaime in curiosity, but he was exhibiting full adult behaviour and acting like he hadn’t heard a thing Addam had said while also looking like he was about to murder someone. How one could mix those two emotions, Brienne didn’t know. Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue? She squeezed Jaime’s knee in comfort and saw his demeanour relax. She returned her focus back to Addam, “I think you should tell him.”

Jaime realized what Addam was about to say about two seconds before Addam said it, “BlueKnight.”

“You asshole!” Jaime shouted, his hand smacking against the wood of their table. Several eyes turned towards them, but at the lack of more excitement they darted quickly away.

“What?” Addam asked bewildered. Brienne couldn’t help but laugh her donkey laugh.

Jaime turned his head rapidly between her and Addam. “You were bloody hitting on Brienne!”

Addam looked back and forth between them, “Aww fuck, seriously? So, I like… never had a chance?”

Brienne tensed and could feel that she was flushing. Was Margaery right? Was this how obvious she was? That a man she had literally met last week could tell how she felt about Jaime?

Tyrion slid back into his seat with a tray of beers, “Never had a chance at what?”

All three voices chimed in sync, “Nothing.”

Tyrion rolled his eyes, “Not suspicious at all. I hope none of you ever go into espionage.”

* * *

“Were you—“ Jaime swept a hand through his hair as he held his coat out for her to put on. Well, technically _her_ coat now, “Were you trying to hit on Addam?” The night had been long and filled with drinks and laughter, but it was finally time to go home.

“Tonight?” Brienne asked bewildered as she slipped her arms into the sleeves.

“No,” Jaime clarified, “On the forum, when we were—“

“No.” There was no hesitation in her voice, “I mean, for a moment I thought that was what I wanted,” Brienne amended honestly, “But when I logged on and started to actually talk to people, I figured out pretty quickly that I was just looking for somebody to talk to. CockyGinger or well, Addam, was nice, but I didn’t consider anything beyond that first conversation.”

Jaime’s lip quirked, “He’ll be really sad to hear that.”

Brienne snorted, “I think he’ll be fine. We literally only chatted for a couple hours.”

“I’d be sad knowing I had missed my chance with you.”

Brienne’s heart ached a little as she wished Jaime meant that in a different way. “Well, you didn’t.” And she meant that in every way.

“What are you two whispering about?” Tyrion asked and patted his coat down as he appeared at their side. Brienne nearly screamed in surprise.

Jaime patted her on the small of her back, “You get used to it. He does that a lot,” he told her and then turned to his brother, “When we should get dinner next,” Jaime replied easily.

“I kind of don’t want to go back to Lannisport now,” Addam chuckled as he too reappeared and tugged his coat on.

Tyrion looked up at him with a grin, “Don’t worry, I’ll give you the full report.”

“It’s different seeing it in person. I’ll be visiting as often as I can.”

Tyrion laughed, “I would too.”

Brienne glanced at Jaime wondering if he was following the conversation, and by the twist of his lips it seemed like he was, but he wasn’t enjoying it. She put a comforting hand on his arm and he looked over at her with some indescribable emotion. Forever and a moment passed between them.

“Next time Tysha will want to join us,” Tyrion informed them while leading them outside of the pub. “She was quite cross with me for planning a get together on a night she was too busy to attend.”

Jaime shivered, “Don’t want to get on Tysha’s bad side.”

Tyrion chuckled, “I can charm her back into liking me, you though…”

Jaime held up both of his hands, “I’ve had enough of Tysha’s bad side to last a lifetime.”

Addam patted Brienne on the shoulder, “Keep in touch,” he smiled, “I’ll definitely be back for the opening of the Baratheon Estates, but might find a chance to visit before that. If Jaime misbehaves in the meantime, just give me a call.”

“We can’t afford those kinds of long distance charges,” Brienne replied easily and squeezed Jaime’s hand.

Addam and Tyrion broke out in a raucous laughter and Jaime looked at her as though he were some extremely pathetic wounded animal. It was overly much, but because it was so, it made her feel less bad for teasing him. He intertwined their fingers.

“Do you have a ride home, Brienne?” Tyrion asked as he managed to flag down a cab.

“I’ll get her home,” Jaime replied easily.

Tyrion’s eyebrow nearly disappeared into his hairline. “I’m sure you will.” Addam did not manage to hold back his snort of amusement. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Jaime told her. He tugged her away. 

Brienne waved at the other two men, “See you again, Tyrion! I’d love to have dinner with you and Tysha soon! When you’re next in the city, Addam!”

“Wonderful to finally chat with you, Mrs. Jaime Lannister!” Addam shouted back. Tyrion’s laughter followed, but Jaime had dragged her around a corner. 

“Why do they—“ Brienne finally worked up the nerves to ask.

Jaime pursed his lips, “They just like to tease me.” He glanced over at her, his emerald eyes shining, “Just like another wench I know.”

The deep burning need in her suddenly roared back to life as she suddenly recalled the experiences of her afternoon, “We’re not too far from your place.”

“My place is still too far.”

Brienne’s eyebrows furrowed, but then the burning question was answered with another turn of the block. They were back in front of Jaime’s office building. Her face flamed as she gazed up to where she thought Burning Bright Enterprises was.

Jaime’s face bloomed in a wide, wicked smirk. “Pia’s long gone. How do you feel about—”

Brienne clutched onto Jaime’s arm. “Mr. Jaime Lannister, just… just take me upstairs.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:  
> “Let’s get to my office before a wild Addam appears.” --> THIS IS THE BEST LINE OF THE CHAPTER. NOTHING CAN CHANGE MY MIND.
> 
> Followed by:  
>   
> Brienne's sweater, but her ribbons go all the way up:  
> 


	21. The Office

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

Jaime kissed her as they rode the elevator up to his office. After having not kissed him for more than a day, not having kissed him the moment she had first set eyes on him today, it felt like taking in a fresh gulp of air after being deprived of oxygen for too long. 

He took the opportunity to take off the jacket she was wearing, and was only slightly impeded by her hand clutching onto his tie. She pulled him closer to her, pulled him so that he couldn’t be away from her. 

The elevator dinged and they stumbled out of it in a mess of bodies. He discarded their coats on the armchair in his lobby and cupped her face as they turned the corner and crashed into his office door. She huffed, her breath rushing out of her, but still she didn’t stop kissing him, one hand now tangled in his golden tresses. 

“Tell me now, Brienne,” Jaime implored between sweeps of his tongue. She hummed in question, her eyes fluttering open to regard him. “Your favourite colour.”

Her hand tugged on his tie so that she could bring his face down just a touch lower. She pressed her lips to the corner of his eye, “Green,” she sighed. 

Jaime twisted the doorknob and they tumbled into his office in a scuffle of limbs, his kisses now more feverish, his teeth nipping at her jaw and neck. The lights in his office were off, but the amber glow of King’s Landing from outside his window illuminated him well enough that she could see all the ever-precious features of him. 

One of his hands twisted in her hair and the other swept down her spine until it reached her lower back. The kiss he bestowed on her was hard, tumultuous, and world shattering. 

He pulled her trousers and panties down over the curve of her ass, his thumb brushing over the bare skin in a tender caress. Brienne’s eyes widened as she realized what was going to happen next, just as it happened. The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed loudly and Brienne squeaked, biting down on Jaime’s bottom lip. “Sorry, I’m sorry,” she murmured in worry as he drew away, licking blood from the broken skin. 

His lips twisted into a feral smirk, “ _ Miss Tarth _ , you’re demonstrating all kinds of daring today.”

Brienne gasped as the hand that was still tangled in her hair pulled her back to him again, her face cradled almost tenderly against his shoulder. His hand came down on her other asscheek and this time Brienne let out a carnal wailing sound. Her breaths were coming out harsh, she knew, but the sting was fading and desire was only just beginning to surge. “Jaime,” she murmured.

He kissed her temple then bit the shell of her ear, “You will call me Mr. Jaime Lannister or sir tonight, Miss Tarth. Remember, you started this game.” Softly, he added, “And you can end it whenever you want.”

Brienne nodded and kissed the patch of skin just under his ear. Jaime shivered beneath her, then grabbed the globes of her ass. 

“What were you hoping to achieve today, Miss Tarth?” his voice deep, rumbling, and demanding.

She rubbed her face against his beard. It was soft now against her skin, although it still often left red marks between her thighs. “I wanted to tease you… sir.”

Both of his hands came down at once and she yelped, clinging onto him. “Do you know what I like to do to such wanton women, Miss Tarth?”

“I know what I want you to do to me,” Brienne replied with a hint of desperation. She pressed her body closer to his. “Please, sir, fuck me.”

One of Jaime's hands went to tilt her chin up so that they could look each other eye to eye. Brienne gulped at the gleam in his not so emerald irises. “Don’t think I’m going to give you what you want so easily.”

Brienne squeaked again as Jaime pushed her trousers and panties further down her thighs so that they could fall to the floor. She pulled her feet out of the tangle of fabric before she could trip. He guided her backwards until her thighs hit his desk, then swept her legs out from under her so that she fell back onto the hard wood. 

“Don’t move,” he warned, pressing his hand gently down on her sternum, and then dropped down on his knees. She sat up on her elbows and saw him roll his eyes at her in fond exasperation. “It’s like you’re asking for what’s coming to you, Miss Tarth.”

Brienne bit her bottom lip, “What makes you think I’m not?”

Jaime undid the bow around one of her ankles, but did not take off her shoe. Instead, he straightened the thick ribbon, whirled it around her ankle, and made a square knot so that it wouldn’t be able to tighten further around her limb. He finished off by tying her ankle to his table leg. 

Brienne’s heart fluttered, “Jaime…”

He bit the inside of her thigh.

“Sir!”

He grinned at her as he did the same thing with her other ankle, spreading her out for him. “Honestly, Miss Tarth. When you walked into this office with all those ties on you, what did you think was going to happen?” Jaime asked as he stood up and circled behind her. 

Brienne’s face turned red. She almost huffed in annoyance, but it was true, this wasn’t wholly unexpected. She just hadn’t thought it would be happening in Jaime’s office, or without the additional help of their rope, sitting abandoned at his home now in their box of sexy things. 

Jaime’s hands gently grasped her shoulders and guided her to lie back down on his desk. His touch ran down her forearms and she could feel the tips of his fingers against her wrists as he kneeled. She arched her back so that she would be able to see behind her. Jaime glowed in the fairy like lights of the city. 

He knelt down again to undo the long floppy bow of one sleeve and once again smoothed down the ribbon around her wrists. He tied his square knot, pressed his lips to it and the skin underneath, then moved onto her other wrist to do the same. After he had her wrists bound to her sweater he tied the two ribbons together and anchored them to the table legs. 

Brienne bit her lip and tried pulling at her ties fruitlessly as Jaime stood back up and circled around his desk to stand once again between her spread legs. His hand grasped her chin and tilted her face to the right and to the left as though he were examining something of value, then he placed his hands over her pubic bone, framing her mound, his thumbs just brushing her clit.

“Aren’t you just the most exceptional project that has ever landed in my office?” he cooed both teasingly and softly. He bent down to kiss and nip at her labia, pulling at the folds with his lips. Brienne gasped as his hands swept up her body, pushing her sweater up her torso. He sucked on her clit for a moment before his tongue and teeth followed the movement of his hands. “All the shapes and lines of you are a designer’s dream.”

“J—Sir,” Brienne whimpered. She wanted to refute his claims and he could probably see it in her eyes.

Jaime tutted, “Miss Tarth, you’re supposed to let your contractors admire truly amazing works of art. Though I suppose, I’d prefer if you kept this  _ contract _ between us.” His tongue dipped and swirled in her belly button and she jerked against her ties. “Look at you, so statuesque and tempting. Do you even know how crazy you drive me?”

“I  _ want _ to drive you crazy,” Brienne panted.

“Can you want what you already have?” Jaime asked as his hands slid further up. He paused when he realized that she hadn’t been wearing a bra all day and he casted her a dark, heated look. He bunched her sweater around her clavicle, so that his fingers could pinch at her nipples, “Wanton wench.”

Brienne cried out at the sensation and arched into his touch.

“So sensitive,” Jaime murmured and carefully pulled the sweater over her head so that it could drift down and puddle around her bound wrists. He leaned over her to pull the sweater off to the side just enough to expose the ties, then he tilted his head as he regarded her. “You already look as though you’ve been ravished, Miss Tarth.”

Brienne took in a deep breath, wondering just how hotly she was blushing if he could see it so clearly in such dim lighting, “I’ve had a very stimulating afternoon, sir.”

Jaime’s lip quirked and he leaned over her, pressing his whole body down on her. The sound of his voice was quiet and sultry. “If you thought this afternoon was stimulating, Miss Tarth, you might not be ready for what I have planned for you.”

Obscene. The whole scene was obscene. The twinkling lights of the city were making Jaime radiant; she didn’t even want to know what they were doing with her pale freckled body. She was spread out and tied down onto Jaime’s desk, her butt ever so slightly sore, legs akimbo, and naked except for her shoes. The sweater didn’t count; it was hardly doing its job. And Jaime, Jaime was still bloody fully dressed.

He grinned at her while he straightened again, “But first, you were right in insisting we keep things professional, this is an office environment after all.”

Brienne gaped at him, “What are you talking about?” He quirked his eyebrow and pinched one of her nipples again. Brienne squeaked, “Sir!” It was the first time he had insisted on the pet names from her… and it was… fun. They were in an office and he was mostly calling her Miss Tarth and she was calling him sir and it was  _ fun.  _ Well… erotic and fun. Erotic overtaking fun fairly quickly.

Jaime reached up to loosen his tie, that insolent smirk on his face. His other fingers idly played with her sensitive clit, slowly driving her to the brink of senselessness. It was a good thing that he had tied her feet down, because otherwise she would have made to kick him for being such a bloody tease. He smoothed out his tie and tugged it tight between his two hands. She thought that he was going to blindfold her, but instead he slipped an end under her neck and tied an atypical knot so that it sat right at the dip of her collarbone. He smoothed the tie down towards her navel. “There, much more professional.”

Brienne’s eyebrows furrowed, “You have got to—“ He tugged at the tie and Brienne gasped. The knot he had made prevented the fabric from choking her, but it still lifted her neck up to expose the long white column of it. His mouth, his lips and teeth, were on her throat before she could even utter another word and she keened while Jaime’s bright eyes took in her reaction.

“I’ve been remise,” he growled and grazed his teeth along her shoulder, bracing himself against his desk and over her with his arm while his other still pulled at the tie. “I thought a collar would diminish your elegance, but clearly it does not.”

Brienne took several quick, panting breaths and squeezed her eyes shut to try and gain back a semblance of control, at least over herself. She wanted him so badly. She could feel how wet she was getting. When she opened her eyes and saw that he was undoing his trousers, she thought she was going to finally get her wish without having to beg. 

She wasn’t wrong. But she was still going to end up begging. 

Jaime licked his lips, “Before we proceed with  _ this  _ contract, Miss Tarth, tell me, what colour palette do you prefer?”

Brienne’s brain raced as she tried to work out what he meant through her heavy fog of lust. When worry began to flood Jaime’s expression, she wanted to kick herself. “Green, sir!”

A barely perceptible sigh came from his lips then and Brienne regarded him with fondness. That was until he began to slowly fuck her with just his middle finger. Her walls fluttered around him and she tried to thrust her hips up to ask for more. “I won’t give you more unless you beg.” Jaime’s other hand pressed down hard on her hip to prevent her seeking movements.

Brienne bit her lip in defiance and Jaime countered by moving his finger even slower. “More,” she managed to bite out when she could no longer tolerate the tease.

“Very good of you, Miss Tarth,” Jaime grinned, and added a second finger, hooking and twisting in precisely the  _ wrong _ way to get her to come, but still in a way to drive her wild and get her wetter. She wanted to scream. Maybe she was screaming. Jaime stopped holding her hip down, and she immediately attempted to buck against him. He grabbed onto the tie and yanked towards himself, causing her to gasp again. “Tsk, and I thought you were learning.”

Brienne whimpered as his fingers slowed and his thumb brushed lightly over her clit. “More?”

His thumb pressed down harder on her clit. “Tell me what you want,” he growled.

Brienne swallowed as the tie around her neck tugged, “Your cock, sir.”

“And where do you want my cock?”

“In me.”

Jaime tugged, “In where, Miss Tarth?”

Brienne turned her head to the side and blushed. “In my cunt, sir.”

“Wanton, wench.”

She turned to look back at him and snipe  _ something _ , but then he began fucking her with only the head of his cock and all the words fell out of her head. “Sir—Ja—Mr. Jaime Lannister!” Brienne cried as she tried to clench down around him. However, his thrusts were too shallow, too fast for her to grasp onto anything.

Jaime placed his hands on her thighs and smirked, “Beg, Miss Tarth,” he demanded.

“Please!” Brienne whimpered. His thumb swept over her clit, making her walls flutter, but still he kept his thrusts shallow. “Sir!”

Jaime undid the buttons of his dress shirt but didn’t take it off. He didn’t need to for him to press his chest against hers when he leant forward over the desk to hold her, his breath in her ear, “Please,  _ what _ , Miss Tarth? Marvel at the view of King’s Landing? It’s quite splendid, but I feel there are currently better things for me to appreciate.”

She was going to murder him. She jerked against her ties. “Please fuck me harder.”

“Harder?” His fingers pinched at the bundle of nerves above where their bodies melded.

Brienne squirmed. “Deeper!”

“Deeper?” he teased.

“Jaime!”

He yanked on the tie again.

“Please, sir! Please!”

She felt his warmth all around her,  _ deep _ within her. Brienne screamed as her body finally had the chance to grasp onto him.

* * *

Brienne was fully dressed and curled up on Jaime’s lap in one of the armchairs out in the lobby, neither of them willing to make the move yet to walk home. “Am I heavy?”

Jaime chuckled and nuzzled her cheek, “Still not heavy, Brienne.”

Brienne sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, “Just checking.”

He adjusted the coats that were spread out on top of them; makeshift blankets to keep them warm.

Brienne played with the buttons on Jaime’s shirt, flicking them beneath her fingers, her eyes closed. She melted into the rhythm of Jaime’s breathing, the rise and fall of his chest, and soon found that her breaths were following his. When she fluttered her eyes open, she saw Jaime staring at her, his eyes somehow sparkling in the faint darkness. It was a compulsion, to shift her weight so that she could lean up and gingerly kiss him on the corner of his mouth. His fingers skittered over her forehead, over the apples of her cheeks, his thumb brushing lightly over the sensitive skin of her bottom lip. 

“Stay over tonight?” he asked.

“If you’ll have me,” she replied.

“I’d be happy to have you over every night,” he said, his voice soft and low and warm. 

Her palm flattened on his chest as she levered herself up to kiss him fully, deeply. 

Her phone rang. 

Brienne drew away, her lips pulled into a thin line. “I swear, if it’s…” she wrestled her phone out of the pocket of Jaime’s jacket. It was.

“Brother again?”

“Annoying toad,” Brienne hissed.

“You can take it.”

“Don’t make a sound,” Brienne warned, then she backtracked at his slightly hurt expression, “He’ll jump to conclusions if he knows I’m with you alone this late at night,” not necessarily wrong conclusions, but conclusions she didn’t need to have her brother teasing her with when the situation with her  _ feelings _ was already complicated enough as it was, “He already knows about Jaime my friend, but I didn’t  _ elaborate _ .”

The hurt look on Jaime’s face melted away into something much more complicated and he made the motion of zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

Brienne answered the call without video.

“Cheesy!”

Brienne gripped Jaime’s thigh to warn him off of laughing at her. She could still feel him quivering with amusement though. “Galpal!”

“Why no video?” Galladon whined, “Let me see your lovely face, Brie.”

Brienne shoved her fingers up against Jaime’s lips this time and he licked the pads of them playfully. “No.”

“Come on,” Galladon teased, “You promised when you moved away that you would always—“ He cut himself off, and when his voice came back it had changed completely in tone, “Did something happen at your new gym? Did Red say something to you or something? Has Hyle shown his face again? I’ll murder him.”

Brienne watched as Jaime’s eyebrows furrowed, and she tried to wrestle back control on all fronts, “No, it has nothing to do with either of them. I just don’t want to video chat right now.”

She heard Galladon let out a long breath, expelling his anger, “No excuses, Cheesy! I’ve seen you with a freshly broken nose and blood all in your hair. Even if you have like cucumbers over your eyes and seaweed stuffed up your nostrils—“

“Shut up, Gal!” Brienne whined as Jaime let out a snort despite her best efforts.

“What was that? Wait… are you  _ with _ someone right now?” It definitely took her too long to try and come up with a reply. “HEY! HEY! BUDDY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?”

Brienne covered her face in mortification. She should have just turned off her phone. She really, really should have just turned off her bloody phone. Jaime pointed at his voice box and gestured as though asking for permission to speak. “Do not make this worse!” she hissed.

Jaime chuckled very audibly. 

“You better treat my sister right! I know all the best places on Tarth to hide a body—“

“Galladon!”

“So it wasn’t  _ what _ you were doing, it was  _ who _ you were doing,” Galladon cackled.

“I’m going to hang up on you.”

“I’m going to tell dad.”

“You aren’t!”

“Hear me. DAD. GUESS WHAT CHEESY’S BEEN UP TO!”

“Gal! You’re thirty years old!”

Distantly Brienne could hear her dad replying, “What is it now, son? Are you teasing Brienne? I really don’t want to have to go to the ER again the next time she’s here. I don’t enjoy the fact that the Tarths’ are considered regulars there.”

“Dad, ignore him! He’s just a friend!” Brienne shouted. Jaime shifted beneath her. She glanced over at his face, but he was looking away.

Her father was suddenly the prominent voice on the other end of the phone conversation, “A friend of Brienne’s? Hello, I’m Selwyn, Brienne’s father.”

Brienne just passed the phone to Jaime and slumped. She thanked the Seven that Galladon hadn’t gotten his personality from their dad. Jaime took the phone and stared at it for a moment before he cleared his throat, “Hello Selwyn, I’m Jaime Lannister.”

“Oh! It's just Jaime, Gal.”

“Oh! Just Jaime?” Galladon’s voice sounded disappointed in the background. Jaime glanced at her curiously, probably wondering exactly what she had said to her family about him. She just waved him off casually. Very casually.

“It’s very nice to finally meet you. Brienne has told us a lot about you,” Selwyn said evenly, clearly used to the calamity his children brought down on his household. 

“Nice to meet you too,” Jaime replied. His fingers entwined with hers. Brienne closed her eyes as she listened to Jaime have a pleasant conversation with her father. A new kind of warmth blossomed in her. 

* * *

A package was waiting for her on her desk. “Podrick!” Brienne called, “What is this?” she asked when he came in. 

“A gift,” he answered much too smartly.

“From?” Brienne asked.

He grinned at her in a way that made her feel vaguely as though he knew something she didn’t know, and it irked her. “Mr. Lannister.” Ah, now that a new degree of connection had been made, she realized where she recognized Podrick’s grin. It was one that Tyrion had been wearing during their initial meeting and sometimes still shot her when they met at one of their offices.

“Can I ask you something, Podrick?” Brienne started as she fiddled with the brown cellophane of the gift basket on her desk.

“Of course, Ms. Tarth.”

“Did Tyrion and Addam treat you well when they took you out for drinks all that time ago?”

Podrick hummed, “Very well, Ms. Tarth!”

“What did you discuss? You seem to have been very cheery since.”

“Tyrion—“

“He managed to get you to say his first name?” Brienne asked in bewilderment.

He blushed, “Only for out of work contexts, Ms. Tarth.”

“Then we need to get a beer some time,” Brienne chuckled.

Podrick gave her a beaming smile, “We discussed a lot of very interesting things.”

She eyed him, “Like what?” The gift was still untouched on her desk, waiting for her to open it.

His smile nearly lit the room, “Namely that as of the past couple of months Mr. Lannister’s house has not been without lemons or honey.”

They were common food items to have in a kitchen. They didn’t have to mean what they did. Brienne flamed and grappled for a response. Podrick couldn’t possibly  _ know. _ She found it in the small bowl of lemons and the little container of honey that now had a permanent home in their little kitchenette, “Much like our office now?”

He grinned, “Much like.”

“You’ve been out drinking with Tyrion again since, haven’t you?”

Podrick continued to absolutely beam, “Yes. With Addam, too, when he was still here.”

“Addam?” Brienne exclaimed.

“They insisted!”

“Don’t believe everything they say,” Brienne warned, “Remember all that nonsense he was spouting at the meeting?”

His eyes twinkled, “Of course, Ms. Tarth.”

“If Tyrion causes you any trouble, tell me.”

He softened, “Thank you, Ms. Tarth.”

“Back to work, Podrick.”

He nodded and left her alone in the office with the present from Jaime. Rolling her eyes, and ignoring the fact that her heart had sped up, she ripped open the cellophane and immediately found the card he had tucked inside.

Since we both enjoy coffee so much. Though I like yours better.

-Jaime ♥︎

Did the man also not know when the appropriate time to  _ draw _ hearts was? Brienne tucked the card into her desk for safekeeping. She pulled out what she assumed to be a bag of coffee beans, and nearly flung it into the air in red-hot embarrassment when she read the label.

She pulled out her phone.

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Leave it to you to find a coffee called Magic Pussy _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: Thought it would be perfect for you <3 _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I hate you _

_ The Idiot ♥︎: No you don’t _

No she didn’t.

* * *

Brienne was almost smug that her initial assessments of the different concepts Jaime had presented her matched well with what Renly was looking for. 

“How did he do this with the colour palette without making any of the rooms look garish?” Renly marvelled. He was scanning through the document that held the concept with the colour palette she had been most astounded by as well. 

“I asked him the same.”

“Do you think that he can keep the colours of this one, but substitute in some elements from—“ Renly rifled through the other nine documents that were spread out on Brienne’s desk and found the one he was looking for, “This one?”

“Ah, I see. You’re going for something a little bit more regal in terms of theme.”

“Just a touch more,” Renly confirmed and pointed at a couple pictures from the second document, “I like these types of pieces.”

“I’ll ask him if he will be able to combine these elements and still keep to the budget. I have another meeting with Burning Bright in two weeks time, so if you want to scan through these portfolios more on your own time and give me any other notes, please email them to me.” She had figured out recently that it wasn’t that Renly had no opinions when it came to the Baratheon Estates, it was just that it took him a long time to formulate his opinions. It was why Robert had controlled the contract for as long as he had and why Renly always took hard copies of the information she provided to him home.

Renly nodded, “Of course, of course. As much as it has been a hassle, more for you than for me, I do apologize, I’m very glad that we were able to start again from the bottom.”

Brienne gave him a genuine smile, “Me too.”

“Alright,” Renly smiled at her, “Tell me how the construction is going.”

Brienne turned her screen towards him to show him pictures of the construction site. “Everything is going according to the timeline.”

Renly whistled and nodded as she scrolled through the pictures.

“They haven’t run into any stumbling blocks yet—“

“All thanks to your careful planning, I’m sure.”

Brienne blushed, “And we should be ready to go in about six weeks.”

“How are sales?”

“Croft’s Realtor’s are doing a fantastic job; they already have a lot of interest. Once we confirm the plan for the interior design, we’ll create some graphics and they will begin the sales.”

Renly sighed in relief, “Fabulous.”

* * *

The following week after that found Jaime’s right arm in a sling when the pain of his pinched nerve just wouldn’t let up and it ended up affecting his entire arm. He texted her that they would probably have to cancel a couple of their planned scenes that week and maybe even the next, depending on what his doctor would say. 

To what she surmised was his utter surprise, by the look on his face when he opened the door, she showed up at his house that evening holding several grocery bags and trying not to let her blush reveal too much about just  _ how much _ she cared. She told him, “I know that you’re ambidextrous, but cooking with one hand must still be hard.”

Jaime didn’t idly watch as she cooked dinner for him. Instead, he helped in any way that he could and they chatted as they whirled around each other in his kitchen. “I had my appointment with my therapist right after work today,” Brienne said as she mashed the potatoes, then blanched the boiling greens.

“How did it go?” he asked as he monitored the steak.

“Good. The whole conversation ended up being about Ramsay, though.”

Jaime’s face twisted as he looked up at her, “I mentioned Ramsay at my appointment too.”

“Have you been following the news about him?”

She saw Jaime shiver, “Those poor dogs.” He determined that the steaks were ready and carefully took them off of the pan with a pair of tongs.

“I wonder what else they are going to find. His father seems to have been covering up a lot for him.”

“There was a lot of speculation about his missing step mother and step brother,” Jaime winced. 

“Gods,” Brienne muttered and plated the potatoes and greens. When the steaks had rested long enough, she sliced through them quickly. When she looked up, Jaime was blinking at her, perplexed. She looked down at his cut steak. Had she overstepped her bounds? “You can’t cut steak with one hand,” she said in a way of explanation. 

Jaime looked up at her, “No,” he murmured softly and came to her side. He pressed a kiss onto her cheek, “I can’t.”

Later, when Brienne was packing up leftovers into his fridge, it was with great embarrassment that she saw Tyrion and Tysha had already outfitted Jaime with a week's worth of meals.

“I prefer your cooking anyways,” he replied when she squawked in mortification. “Like how I prefer your coff–”

“Magic pussy?” Brienne retorted with the straightest face she could muster.

Jaime only cackled in delight.

She didn’t go over  _ every  _ evening to cook him dinner while his arm was still in a sling. Some evenings he went to her house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to be taking a 2-3 week break from posting after this chapter. Between writing my exchange fic and doing PhD stuff, I have gotten behind... being ahead on this fic and also I just kind of want my PhD confirmation stuff done before I post again, especially since the fic is on its final leg! But never fear, I shall be back and I shall be back with presents!!! :3 In the meantime maybe I'll also be able to post some prompts I have half finished :P.
> 
> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:
> 
> They were common food items to have in a kitchen. They didn’t have to mean what they did. Brienne flamed and grappled for a response. Podrick couldn’t possibly know. She found it in the small bowl of lemons and the little container of honey that now had a permanent home in their little kitchenette, “Much like our office now?” ---> I feel like inside Brienne is like "Take that, Pod! I'm not in love with Jaime *sobs*"
> 
> Magic Pussy is indeed a real coffee:  
>   
> 


	22. The Wench Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!

Although, logically, Brienne knew that she had been the one to set the precedence for their work games, she still blamed Jaime for the way that they had escalated. It definitely had nothing to do with her own competitive streak. Absolutely not.

She was  _ definitely _ blaming Jaime for the way she was feeling right now. 

“Something bothering you, Miss Tarth?” Jaime asked, looking devilishly handsome with a bright yellow hard hat on his head. It should have clashed with his hair, it should have made him look silly, but no, instead all the images that she was conjuring up of him were obscene and lusty. She knew sexy construction worker costumes existed, and she knew that if she could put him in one right now… and then promptly rip it off, she would. However, she also knew that if they were out of the context of construction grounds of the Baratheon Estates, there were other uniforms she would have much rather had Jaime in. Her mind clouded as she thought of  _ having _ Jaime. Just shoving him up against the nearest wall and undoing his—

The vibrations inside her died out. 

Jaime fingers brushed her cheek gently, “You okay?” he asked softly, seriously. 

She pursed her lips, “Depends on what you mean by okay,” she grouched good-naturedly and shifted back and forth on her feet.

Jaime’s laugh was deep and wonderful and she was shocked when he pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth, only just brushing her lips with his own. The vibrations came back at what she guessed was a fairly low setting and Brienne almost melted into him right then and there. She fruitless attempted to glare at the hand in his pocket. At this point she didn’t know if she even wanted to wrestle the remote from him anymore. All she knew was that she  _ wanted _ him.

“I can’t believe they’re almost done,” Jaime grinned as he waved at the building around them. There were only a couple more weeks of construction left and the moment that was done, Jaime would only need the place for two more weeks before the Baratheon Estates was open for business.

Brienne grunted her agreement. They had been on the site for hours now and Jaime had already insisted that she show him everything her blue prints could not fully encapsulate in her design. It had been fun showing off to him. But now she just wanted to go home and maybe not even make it quite as far as the bed with him.

“It’ll be in my  _ hands _ soon,” he eyed her with a sly smirk and placed his palm on her hip. The warmth of him was riveting. She genuinely wondered if any of the rooms were empty of people, then dispelled the thought. The idea of getting caught fucking the interior designer on the grounds of her own project was both thrilling and mortifying. Maybe if everyone didn’t know her name she would  _ consider _ the fantasy more seriously.  _ This  _ was why Jaime had chosen  _ today _ to play with their new toy. There were places in their offices they could disappear to without drawing too much attention, but not here. Devious bastard. “How does that make  _ you _ feel?”

Brienne squeaked when the vibrations increased. “Like this work day needs to end!” She turned to him and tried to give him the most annoyed look she could muster, “It has ended! Let’s get out of here already,” she practically whined.

Jaime chuckled as he made a half turn so that he was by her side. Infuriatingly, he guided her so that they continued their survey of the site. “There’s one more room I want to see.”

“I’m going to kill you,” Brienne hissed as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried for the life of her to look unaffected. She was pretty sure she looked extremely affected. Someone had already offered her a bottle of water a quarter of an hour ago when they had seen her so flushed. Thankfully it was also a warm humid day and she had chugged the water as though it had been her saving grace. It hadn’t been, but that was beside the point..

Jaime grinned at her again and led them down an empty hall. “You look cute in a construction hat.”

Brienne frowned, “I don’t look cute.”

“You do,” he insisted.

“I never look cute.”

Jaime stopped again and turned to face her. A hand anchored itself onto her lower back. “I’ll grant you that you don’t often look cute,” Jaime began, “But that’s because cute isn’t how I would describe this.” 

She saw his arm twitch, knew what it meant, and yet still the sudden and large increase in vibration intensity had her stumbling. The hand on her back pulled her close so that she fell against him, breathing out a moan into the crook of his neck so loud that she was sure the whole site could hear. Her hands clutched at his shirt as she took in the swathe of sensation rumbling through her. “Please, sir,” she whimpered and looked at him with what she was sure was her most pathetic expression, one where she made her eyes huge and her bottom lip stick out in an exaggerated pout, “Can we please go home?”

Jaime stiffened for a moment against her before he relaxed, somehow more than before. The vibrations died down to a pleasant hum, but she continued to cling to Jaime, just wanting to touch him. He ran his hand up and down her back. “If you insist,” he hummed affectionately.

* * *

Brienne was on her knees and forearms, bent over on her bed and once again staring blearily at her reflection. Jaime had distracted her by cranking up the egg vibrator while he had set up and placed Oathkeeper in her hands. 

She could see Jaime behind her in the reflection of the mirror, squeezing a gratuitous amount of lube onto his fingers, over his cock, onto the ring of her asshole. She shivered at the sensation and buried her face into her sheets. She felt a slight tug and vaguely realized that Jaime was taking the remote control vibrator out of her. 

“Tell me the moment there’s any pain, wench,” Jaime reminded her. She pressed her cheek against the cool sheets still half delirious and nodded. “Coat your toy in this,” he commanded and passed her the bottle of lube. 

The cap was already open and she poured a long line of it up the golden shaft. While she smeared the liquid over her toy she felt Jaime begin to massage the muscles of her ass. 

“Are you ready?” Jaime asked and took the bottle of lube back from her.

Brienne’s hold on Oathkeeper tightened, but she tried to relax, “Green,” she sighed.

His fingers touched her first. They were gentle; first one finger slowly worked itself into the ring of muscle, then two. Brienne whined in pleasure at the sensation of him scissoring inside her and stretching her. He worked her and coated his fingers with more lube until he was able to slide two in and out of her without resistance.

One hand squeezed her ass cheek while his other hand retracted, and then she felt the thick head of him press against her asshole. Already the sensation was completely different compared to that of the tapered butt plugs he had used on her previously. No wonder he had spent more time preparing her than usual. 

Brienne made the coherent decision to look up at the mirror while he slowly pushed into her. She whined again at the sensation. It wasn’t exactly novel, but it  _ was _ different to having a toy worked into her. Warmer, slicker. Then there was the destroyed and pleasured look on Jaime’s face, too, and she found she couldn’t look away from his expression. 

When he was pressed fully inside her, he leaned forward and kissed her shoulder blades. “How does that feel?” The sensation wasn’t painful, but it felt like an intense pressure.

“Good,” she panted and slowly wiggled her hips to see how that changed the sensation.

“Good,” he replied, his voice deep and a little bit choked, “Pass me Oathkeeper.”

She handed him the toy. Then, his other arm swept under her torso and he hoisted her up until she was kneeling, her back pressed against his chest, and his palm pressed against her collarbone. Her hands grasped his forearm for balance and she loudly groaned his name at how the shift in position rocked him inside her.

“Look at you, wench,” he growled into her ear, his teeth nipping at the lobe, “Look at how you take my cock in your ass.” 

She hadn’t even realized she had closed her eyes, but when she opened them, she could see her blush was crawling from her cheeks, down her neck, under his hand, and over her breasts. She spread her knees slightly to get a better view and Jaime grunted in pleasure. “Seven good gods,” Brienne groaned. She forcefully pushed at his forearm so that his hand slid higher until it grasped the base of her neck. Just the slight increase in pressure there had her feeling dizzy.

“How do you want me to fuck you?” Jaime asked gruffly then kissed her shoulder.

“Slow,” Brienne whimpered and he began to fuck her ass slowly, sliding languorously in and out of her. She let out a long, keening sound at the sensation. After several thrusts, she whispered, “Harder,” his hips sped up their pace and she wanted to scream at the pleasure of it. “Gods, Jaime!”

“Did you know—“ Jaime’s voice rumbled into her ear, “That the Blue Knight was sometimes thought to carry two swords?”

Brienne groaned and tilted her head to the side so that he could have better access to the long column of her neck, “Why are you—?“ Jaime’s hand tightened around the base of her neck fleetingly and she revelled in the sensation. She hadn’t thought that she would find pleasure in breath play, but as long as Jaime kept it gentle, brief, and at the base of her neck, she found that she enjoyed the thrill of it more than she could fathom.

“How do you feel about having two swords, wench?” Jaime grinned, his tongue running along one of her tendons. 

A part of her wanted to tease him for comparing his cock to a sword, but at that moment his hips snapped against her buttocks and he sheathed himself as deeply as he could. “Two?” Brienne gasped instead. 

She both saw and felt Jaime manoeuvre Oathkeeper to slide against her vulva. “Two,” he once again repeated and turned the thrusting motion on. 

Immediately, she was intrigued by his proposition. “Slowly,” Brienne demanded and squeezed her eyes tight when she felt the tip of Oathkeeper begin to enter her. She could imagine that Jaime was watching in the mirror with bright eyes and utter delight as he fucked her twice over. The walls of her vagina fluttered and then clamped down around the toy. Again, although the sensation of being filled twice was not new to her, the movement and combined girth had her keening. “Jaime...”

Jaime rained down kisses on her neck, on her shoulder, as he continued to rock roughly into her, moving along with Oathkeeper in a mounting rhythm. She turned her head towards him so that her lips could seek his, and in opposition to the frantic, hard thrusts of their coupling, their kiss was sweet and tender. The duality of sensation made her clench. “Do you like that wench? Wielding dual blades?” he questioned against her lips.

“It’s a credit to your  _ swordplay _ that my libido hasn’t been killed,” she goaded and was reprimanded for her teasing by having his cock and Oathkeeper shoved deeply into her, his teeth nipping her bottom lip. 

Brienne squeaked in surprise pleasure and Jaime’s hand once again briefly tightened at the base of her throat before he slid it down her chest and belly to play with her clit. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to remove that rebellious streak from you,” Jaime grinned and bit her shoulder hard enough to leave a bruise. “Do you know what they call subs with your type of behaviour, wench?”

She gulped at air as Jaime continued to move within her. Brienne could feel her pleasure surging, cresting. “What… sir?” she asked as she turned her head back to kiss his cheek.

Jaime smirked and pinched her clit, “A brat.”

Brienne’s eyes snapped open in indignation, but at that moment Jaime’s fingers rubbed and flicked in a way that had her pleasure crashing down on her all at once. Jaime grunted as he kissed her, and she absently wondered what kind of novel sensations he was feeling while her body shook in bliss. 

He chucked Oathkeeper to the side and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him as she continued to shake from coming. “Choose wench, do you want me to come in you?”

“What would a  _ brat _ want?” she asked with touch of snark as her body slowly came down from its high.

Jaime chuckled, but his voice was languid as he said her name, “Brienne…”

“Yes, Jaime,” she sighed and rubbed her face against his beard. It had become one of her favourite things to do. 

She felt and saw Jaime then rest his forehead against the nape of her neck and with two more snaps of his hips, she felt him shudder and heard him groan. Before he could pull out from her she gently squeezed his forearm, “No,” she said shyly, “Just stay… for a bit.” She could see how red she was flushing and tried to not look in the mirror again.

“I can’t get you something warm to drink this way,” Jaime said softly as he pressed light kisses under the shell of her ear. 

“Just…” Brienne guided him down so that she lay prone on her front with him on top of her as though he were her blanket, enveloping her in safety and warmth. His presence surrounded her and she felt him relax on top of her. “… For a little while.”

Jaime was silent for a bit before he reached out and dragged her comforter over both of them. She felt him slowly soften inside of her, although he remained half hard. She wiggled her butt at the sensation and Jaime chuckled, “He’ll need a couple hours, despite what he thinks.”

She turned her face so that she could see him. “Your sword, you mean.”

Jaime chuckled and swooped in to kiss her.

* * *

Brienne pulled on Jaime’s used shirt, not bothering to button it, and his boxer briefs. They would all have to go into the wash anyways and slipping into his used clothes to run from her room to the bathtub was easier than slipping into her own old clothes. Okay, not  _ easier _ , but she wanted to wear his clothes… because. Just because. 

She heard the sound of a door opening and the sound of thumping. What in all names was Jaime doing? He had stolen her bathrobe less than ten minutes ago to fill the bathtub, but that should not have involved such noises. “Wench! Tub’s nearly full! Join me already.” She giggled almost helplessly and hoped that he hadn’t overdone the bubble bath again. 

Brienne walked out of her room. “Jaime! I thought wench was only for—“

“Cheesy?” Brienne whipped her head towards her open front door where Galladon was standing, his bags dropped at his feet, his eyes wide, and his hand wrapped around the spare key she had given her family. 

Her eyes widened at the sight. “No...” Her voice was quiet, shocked and horrified, but her mind was already screaming.

“By the Seven Brie, put on some clothes! Your own clothes! OH GODS.”

“YOU PUT ON SOME CLOTHES!”

“I’M WEARING CLOTHES.”

“GET OUT GAL!”

Galladon turned on his heel to race out the front door, “I’ll be at the café down the street!” He paused and then looked back, giving her a cheeky grin, “Don’t take too long.”

Brienne grabbed the closest thing she could find and hurled it at him. Galladon shut the door in time to have the vase explode against it.

Jaime stuck his head out of the washroom slowly and took in the scene. He saw Brienne breathing heavily and screeching periodically into the palms of her hands, Galladon’s bags by the door, and water, flowers and ceramic all over the floor. “So this is why the Tarths are regulars at the ER.”

Brienne just took in a large breath and once again screamed in mortification. 

“I’ll drain the tub and start the shower.”

“No!” Brienne shouted and marched into the washroom, her face nearly on fire, “Make him wait!”

Jaime followed her to the tub with a quirked eyebrow, “Am I going to be bathing with a very pouty Brienne?” 

She stripped herself of Jaime’s clothes quickly, then slumped into the mass of pink bubbles, almost shocked to find that there was actually hot water beneath, “Mortified, more like.”

“I’ll wash your hair.” Jaime climbed into the tub behind her.

“Yes please,” she groaned and leaned back on Jaime’s chest as he grabbed the shampoo and began to work his fingers through her hair.

Galladon was a future Brienne problem and she was going to relax.

Try to relax.

Pretend to relax.

Complain while Jaime gently laughed at her.

* * *

It was a war of the wills and Brienne was going to win even if it killed her. Too bad Jaime was clearly not on her side.

“Good to finally put a face to the name,” he smiled. It was pretty obvious that he was wearing Brienne’s clothing, although he managed to pull off her shirt and jeans better than she did.

Galladon’s grin was near vicious, but still charming. The sign of an older brother up to no good, “You have no idea how happy I am that it’s a face I’m putting to yours.”

Jaime slammed his hands over Brienne’s utensils and dragged them to his other side before she could launch her knife at Galladon’s head, “I’m glad too,” he replied all too pleasantly. 

Brienne pouted at Jaime and nudged his side but he rolled his eyes at her and pushed the utensils even further away. Apparently, helping her clean up the shattered vase had given him extra perspective. Their interaction only made Galladon’s grin grow wider. Brienne turned back to him with narrowed eyes, “What are you doing here, Gal?” she grumbled instead.

“I just thought I’d pay my little sister a visit,” Galladon singsonged, “Dad and I agreed that you’ve been acting all weird as of late and we were worried. We knew you were lying about something, just not  _ what _ . Should have figured out that  _ this _ was what you were hiding when you said the word  _ friend  _ and  _ just _ about fifteen times in between all your praises of him. You know we wouldn’t be that mad about not being invited, right? Though honestly… when I tell dad he might cry,” he tilted his head to flash his teeth at Jaime, “It  _ is _ good to finally meet you,  _ just _ Jaime.”

If the table hadn’t been bolted to the ground, she would have attempted to heave it at Galladon’s head. Instead, Jaime just raised his eyebrow at her and hooked her ankle with his in a fruitless attempt to calm her down. If their father hadn’t figured out how to get them to behave in their twenty-seven years of co-existence, Jaime surely wouldn’t with just a gentle touch. She pouted at him again and Jaime gave a small snort of laughter under his breath then gently placed a hand on the small of her back.

“So how long  _ have _ you two been married for?”

Maybe she was going to try and throw the table at him anyways. “Married?” Brienne screeched while Jaime jerked in surprise.

Galladon’s forehead actually furrowed, “Did you two…  _ not _ … elope?”

“Why the hell do you think we eloped?” Brienne raved, “Out of all the insane conclusions you could have—“ Brienne cut herself off when Galladon raised his left hand and pointed at his naked ring finger. 

Both Brienne and Jaime looked down at their left hands and missed Galladon’s next gesture that sort of just... encompassed the entirety of the two of them. 

The  _ rings _ . It was always the fucking rings. Jaime sighed and looked back up at Galladon as though he had dealt with this situation a million times before, “I swear I didn’t elope with your sister. It’s j—“ Jaime swallowed, “Just a piece of jewellery.”

Galladon gave them a deadpanned look, “ _Matching_ _pieces_ of jewellery.” When neither of them responded, he decided to reemphasize the point, “Matching pieces of jewellery you _both_ wear on your _ring_ fingers.”

She knew her blush was betraying her, but Brienne managed to grind out, “And what’s your point?”

Galladon looked back and forth between the two of them before a quiet, “Oh,” of revelation sounded from his mouth. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms then continued to look between the two of them. “Ohh,” he repeated, this time with an understanding drawl. “So you two are  _ actually _ just friends.”

“Yes,” Brienne said shortly, knowing that if she said anymore Galladon would know  _ everything _ .

“Friends with benefits,” Galladon felt the need to clarify.

Brienne’s bright blush seemed to be the only confirmation he needed. Jaime, being a tad more shameless grinned and replied, “Sure.”

Galladon seemed to assess them for another moment before he shrugged and smirked. “Surprised Brie told you about the whole wench thing. I didn’t think you would ever tell anyone about the wench thing.”

Jaime’s eyebrow shot up, “The whole wench thing?”

Brienne gaped at her brother, “What whole wench thing?”

Galladon sat up straight in his seat, his eyes wide in wicked delight. “Wait… you don’t remember the whole wench thing?”

She looked frantically between Jaime and her brother. One was looking more and more intrigued as the seconds ticked on, while the other looked like he had just stumbled upon several gold mines. “Galladon, please tell me what the  _ wench _ thing is,” Jaime said, his voice silky smooth. She tried to pinch his side but he batted her hand away and entwined their fingers so that she couldn’t try again. 

Brienne huffed and nudged him none too gently. Traitor.

Galladon leaned in and waved Jaime closer as though they were having a conspiratorial meeting, “You know Goldenhand the Just and the Blue Knight?” he stage whispered. “Behave Cheesy, we’re out in public.” Brienne petulantly lowered the foot she was seconds away from ramming into her brother’s shin. He had learnt many years to not man spread while sitting across from her.

Jaime quirked his eyebrow at Brienne in amusement while she looked on in horror, debating whether it was worth it to still make a scene. Jaime and her father getting along had brought her all the warm feelings. Jaime and her  _ brother _ getting along was a whole different kettle of fish. It was  _ good _ , but it was also  _ not at all good _ . “I  _ do  _ happen to know of Goldenhand and the Blue Knight.”

She desperately tried to rummage through her memories to get ahead of Galladon, but she was coming up empty.  _ Why?  _ Why had wench popped up in her mind as a name she had wanted Jaime to call her? And why in the Seven Hells did Galladon know something about  _ that _ ?

“Well, when Brie was young, she used to read a lot of books on the two knights. She was obsessed with the…” Galladon paused and glanced at her, “What did you call them? Right, the historical fairy tales that surrounded them.”

Jaime’s lip quirked and his ankle jostled hers, “I can relate.”

“Well, a subset of those books were these really explicit erotica novels where—“

Brienne wanted to shout as it all came rushing back to her. She had found Galladon’s box of well used Dornish porn magazines and had poured it out onto the front lawn and he had found her  _ annotated _ books and had photocopied pages upon pages of them so that they would pour out of her locker when she had… 

She buried her face in her hands and groaned. Galladon continued unphased, “Where Goldenhand called Blue—“

Jaime’s grin was huge and his green eyes were practically sparkling, “ _ Wench _ .”

Galladon sat back, satisfied that he had embarrassed his sister enough.

Brienne continued to groan into her hands and plotted vengeance.

Jaime positively beamed even while he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple in comfort. “Please, tell me more about Brienne.”

Galladon seemed utterly pleased to find a friend in Jaime, “Other than the fact that she’s secretly the biggest brat?”

Brienne screamed at that and Jaime didn’t even manage to kind of hold back his delighted cackle. The patrons and staff at the cafe were openly staring at them now, but Brienne couldn’t bring herself to care for once. In one conversation, she had managed to lose Jaime to Galladon’s charms.  _ This _ was why she was never going to introduce her older brother to Margaery. 

* * *

“Tell me what you did to your brother.”

Brienne smiled serenely as she took a drink from her pink water bottle and stretched her neck, “He’s fine. He’ll join us in a second, after he gets his flirt out.”

Jaime snorted and glanced at the gym entrance where, indeed, Galladon had somehow managed to engage himself with a person who was obviously already enamoured with him. He turned back to Brienne, “Seriously though.”

Brienne shrugged, “I just gave Alys and Ari a call.”

“Uh huh…”

“I may have told them to throw the finest glitter they could get their hands on onto his bed and to maybe mix it with some cinnamon and chilli powder.”

Jaime couldn’t help but laugh, “Dark.”

“Don’t make fun of me. Glitter is serious business!”

“It’s not the glitter I was afraid of,” Jaime said, the corner of his lip tugging up into the fondest smile.

“Then you’ve already lost the game. Cinnamon and chilli powder is for a day, glitter is for forever,” Brienne huffed. She glanced over as Galladon approached and flapped her hands as though she were trying to quiet Jaime down, “Shh, he’s joining us.”

Galladon rolled his eyes when he strolled up to them, “By far, he is the least suspicious one. Good morning Jaime.”

Jaime nodded, “Good morning.”

“Ready to get outclassed today, Cheesy?”

“Ready for me to drop a plate on your foot, Gal?”

Jaime laughed fondly at Brienne, “I’m seeing new sides of you.”

Galladon snorted, “Trust me, this is not new.”

As always happened when the siblings went to the gym together, or really did anything together, it became a competition. A competition that Brienne knew Galladon thought he had in the bag. “Two kilos more than you, Cheese. Better luck next time,” Galladon grinned as he came out of the rack, his chest puffed, practically asking for a kick in the stomach.

Brienne tried not to let her expression show her emotions as Jaime shuffled the weights and then got into position. She just hummed as Jaime went through his first set. Galladon’s eye twitched as he calculated the totality of the plates on the bar. Jaime almost always did five above her, which meant that he was three above Galladon. And she was going to take Jaime’s win as her own win. Brienne glanced at her brother as his eye twitched again. Because he surely was counting this as his loss against her.

Maybe Jaime was on her side after all.

* * *

Galladon was on barbeque duty while video chatting with Selwyn and the twins out in the backyard, as Brienne and Jaime put the last of their dinner together inside. Jaime chuckled, “You can go outside and terrorize him if you want, I can manage the salad by myself just fine.”

She turned back to him from glaring at her brother with narrowed eyes, wondering what kind of nonsense he was telling their father, “No, that’s okay. Dad is much more reasonable than he is. He’ll know if Galpal is spouting deceit and lies.”

“It’s not hard to be more reasonable than both of you.”

Brienne gasped, “I’m reasonable!”

“The fact that we had to make a new bowl of punch says otherwise,” Jaime grinned.

Brienne pouted, “He deserved it.”

“I honestly thought that kind of stuff only happened in the movies.”

“Your brother has never upturned a bowl of punch over your head?”

Jaime laughed, “Well, Tyrion would have to climb on several chairs to succeed, so no.”

Brienne pouted, “Metaphorically upturned a bowl of punch over your head, then.”

Jaime chuckled, “Okay fine. He does that every chance he gets.”

She bumped her hip against Jaime’s, “See. Point.”

Jaime smiled softly at her and pushed a damp lock of hair behind her ear. She had rinsed it after Galladon had whipped a chunk of raw steak fat at her head earlier, hence the punch incident. “Thanks for inviting me over for dinner with you and your family,” he said, his hand lingering.

Brienne smiled and raised her hand to cup Jaime’s cheek and pressed her own into his touch, “I’m always happy to have you over, so when Galladon suggested inviting you…”

Jaime took a step closer to her and rested his other hand on her hip, “I was thinking, Brienne…”

“Hmm?” she hummed as his warmth surrounded her and she placed her other hand on the small of his back, closing what was left of the gap between them. 

“You know how Renly was going to hold an opening gala for the Baratheon Estates?”

Brienne looked into Jaime’s eyes, “Do you want to go together?” she asked.

Jaime grinned so bright, it was like looking at the sun, “I do.” Brienne smiled too, and her eyes flickered down to his lips. She leaned in.

Suddenly, the sound of rapping on glass interrupted them. When they looked out the window into the backyard, Galladon waved at them, gestured at the screen where three faces were smushed in one frame and staring at them, then waved again. 

Brienne and Jaime both blinked in surprise, grinned, then waved at Selwyn and the twins. “Gods, they all really do look alike…” Jaime muttered and slid the hand that was still on her hip to her waist. Brienne’s hand on his back did the same, and their bodies fell in line beside each other.

Galladon turned the screen back towards himself and made a, “See, I told you and you didn’t believe me” face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter a.k.a. the pitfalls of having two Oathkeepers of very disparate natures:
> 
> Now I'm confused. His sword, the mirror setting from his bedroom, but her bed?????? Is that girl for real? xD
> 
> Placing a sharp blade in someone's hands while they are distracted may be hella dangerous, tho
> 
> Alright, I realised my mistake after 15 minutes


	23. The Gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank to lewispanda for betaing!

Brienne stared into her mirror and attempted to twist her hair up for what she was pretty sure was the thousandth time. Her phone pinged. She let the blond strands drop back down around her shoulders and reached for her phone on the countertop.

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: Stop touching your hair _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: How can you possibly…? _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: Because I know you! _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: Marg is asking if he’s there yet _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: No _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: Now she’s telling me to make you feel guilty for kicking us out _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: He’ll be here soon _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: Can’t believe that you kicked us out before we could see your husband’s reaction to your outfit _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: We could have all arrived at the Gala together!!! _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: HE IS NOT MY HUSBAND _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: I’M GOING TO KILL GAL _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: TELL MARGAERY TO STOP TEXTING HIM _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: She’s texting him right now _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: He’s sending her beach pics _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: And pics of your sisters! _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: They’re so cute _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: OOOOhhhhhhh!!!! He’s cuteeee _

_ Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Stop it _

_ Sansa Jeyne Stark: xD _

Brienne pouted at her phone. She still didn’t know how Margaery had done it, but despite employing every evasion tactic in her arsenal, Margaery had still felt it in the air that another Tarth was in King’s Landing and had swooped in during Galladon’s stay. 

The rest was history, as they say, and Brienne had watched in horror as her brother and one of her best friends had hit it off like a house on fire… no, like the Wall crashing down during the Long Night. It had been horrendous. There had been several more barbeques with Galladon, Margaery, and  _ Jaime _ present where Brienne would have preferred to have watched them stick their tongues down each other’s throats (sans Jaime, of course), than almost certainly discuss her, apparently, ridiculously obvious affections for Jaime. Disaster, utter disaster. 

She was just lucky that Jaime was not catching on.

The last thing Galladon had done before returning to Tarth was pat her on the head patronizingly and grin the word, “Oblivious.” 

She knew Jaime was!

And thank the Seven for that. 

Her doorbell rang. 

Brienne practically sprung out of her washroom and to the front door, knowing that she needed to open it before her nerves somehow locked Jaime outside. 

“Good evening, B— oh holy fuck.” Jaime’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened.

She blinked several times as Jaime took her in. A slight flush appeared on his cheeks. “Too much?” she asked tentatively.

“Not at all. You look—“ his eyes met hers. He took a step forward over the threshold then took her hands in his. He was just a bit taller than her with his shoes on. “You look extraordinary, Brienne.” He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, and before he could pull away Brienne turned her face towards his. Their noses brushed, then her lips were on his, and she sighed into the kiss before they parted. Jaime’s hands were now on her waist and his lips were shiny, just like how they had been when they first met. 

“You look amazing too.” She dabbed her thumb over his lips to evenly distribute her lip-gloss over the thin, sensitive skin.

Jaime flashed her a grin, “Turns out blue looks pretty good on me too.” And the midnight blue tuxedo he wore did indeed look  _ more _ than just good on him. Brienne couldn’t help but reach out and touch his white bowtie. It accentuated his neck in ways that heated her blood. Jaime gave her a warm smile as he took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Tell me you chose the rope motif on purpose.” His eyes positively sparkled.

“I did,” Brienne blushed. The dress she was wearing had a neckline that gave the impression of a halter top, due to the way the three parallel ropes swooped over both her collarbones and shoulders, but at the back they all connected into two straps that highlighted her defined shoulder blades. The bodice was dark blue leather and etched almost like armour with rope-like detailing. A thick band with the same texture as the detailing created the illusion of a waist and hips, and a long sky blue skirt with a thigh high part flowed to the ground. 

His teeth nipped the pads of her fingers, “Wench.”

Brienne levelled him a look, “Don’t start Jaime or we’ll be late for the gala.”

“What if we miss it altogether?”

Brienne pressed her lips together as she imagined undoing the bowtie and slowly unbuttoning… “After.” It had been their original plan and she had been looking forward to seeing the Baratheon Estates in all its glory. 

Jaime laughed, “After.”

“I just need to grab my purse and put my heels on and I’ll be ready to go.”

Jaime nodded and shut the door behind him. Brienne grabbed her things, popping back into her washroom to grab the tube of lip-gloss she had used and already needed to reapply and her phone. Back at the front door Brienne pulled her heels out of the closet, pulled them on while clutching onto Jaime’s offered arm for balance, and then she rose to her full height. She was now several inches taller than him, a return back to their normal height difference and then some. “Oh Seven, maybe not after,” Jaime mumbled as he looked up at her.

“Intimidated?” Brienne questioned teasingly, “I don’t think I’ve ever worn heels around you before.”

“You definitely haven’t and intimidated is the  _ wrong _ word,” Jaime grinned and raised his eyebrows, “You’re keeping those on… after.”

Brienne blushed scarlet as her eyes flicked downwards and she could see the physical manifestation of the feelings he was harbouring. “You’re going to need to get yourself together before we get to the gala.”

Jaime chuckled, “I’ll figure some way. I always do.”

Brienne tilted her head in confusion, but Jaime already had her door open.

* * *

They had only just finished appraising the rest of the Estates and entered the ballroom when they saw it.

“Is what you’re seeing as terrifying to you as it is to me?” Jaime whispered, wrapping an arm around her waist and tugging her in closer. His lips brushed against the lobe of her ear.

Brienne leaned into his body and his hand tightened on her, “More, I think.”

“None of them are your brother.”

Brienne placed a hand on his chest and angled to mutter into his ear, “I am almost one hundred percent certain the person Margaery is texting is Gal.”

“Oh, okay, maybe this is equally horrifying to the both of us,” he chuckled, “Ready to brave the disaster?”

“No.”

Jaime laughed loudly, which drew the attention of those that they had been discussing. 

“The couple, at last!” Margaery chirped excitedly and much too happily, “And we thought you would never get here.” Her eyes sparkled wickedly and Brienne resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at her best friend despite how close to being right she actually was. 

For ease of movement, Jaime dropped his arm from Brienne’s waist and took her hand instead, and they approached the group warily.

“Ah yes, the star of the night has finally arrived,” Tyrion crowed, “Renly will be glad to see you, Brienne. He has been looking for you both.”

The strange gathering of Margaery, Sansa, Tyrion, Tysha, and Addam was ominous. “How did all of you meet?” Brienne asked suspiciously. They hadn’t introduced their friend groups to each other yet. There was no reason they should have all been standing together.

Margaery grinned and gestured with exaggerated grandeur, “Addam and I are old…  _ friends _ on this forum that you and I are very familiar with.” Brienne paled. “We asked who else the other was here with and well…” Margaery’s grin grew bigger. Brienne wondered if her face would split open, since the woman’s grin had grown so large.

Brienne’s jaw dropped open, and although Jaime’s didn’t quite do the same, she did see his voice box bob as he anxiously swallowed. Addam grinned at Margaery and she gave him an overly exaggerated wink. “The world isn’t allowed to be that small,” Brienne said desperately.

Addam shrugged, “Didn’t work out in that way, but PrincessofThorns and I—“

“What?”

Both Brienne and Margaery winced as Jaime’s eyes widened and his head snapped to stare at Margaery, “You’re—” Jaime’s sentence cut off with a startled, strangled noise that reverberated from his throat. Addam’s eyebrow shot into his hairline as he glanced between his best friend and old acquaintance. 

Margaery gave him a small smile and wiggled her fingers as though greeting him for the first time, “Hi.”

Brienne watched as a range of emotions flashed over Jaime’s face. She placed her hand back on his chest and positioned herself to hide him from the world if he so needed it, “Are you okay?” she whispered, “I’m sorry, I should have told you before but you said…”

Jaime shook his head, placed his hand over Brienne’s and held it tightly against him. She could feel his heart already slowing back down to normal, although it was still thumping heavily in his chest. He bit his lip, drawing everyone’s attention to the shine. Sansa’s eyes immediately flickered over to Brienne’s lips and a smile tugged on her own, the actual conversation going right over her head. “No, I told you that wasn’t necessary. This is just a lot of information to take in at once,” Jaime half groaned. His forehead fell on Brienne’s shoulder and he murmured lowly, “Of course it would be a Tyrell.”

Brienne nuzzled her face into his hair, “At least it wasn’t her grandmother,” she whispered quietly. Jaime’s head immediately lifted from her shoulder and he stared at her. He didn’t have to put his question into words. Brienne nodded her head, confirming that Olenna Tyrell was indeed on the forum too. 

“Wow… you four haven’t been exaggerating,” Tysha said with a tone of utter awe. 

“Right?” Four voices echoed all at once, with Margaery waving her phone, her text conversation with Galladon displayed on the screen.

“What are you all on about?” Jaime said with a glower leveled at each and every single one of them. 

Tyrion and Tysha gave each other a look that seemed to be a whole conversation on itself. “We really need to have dinner together some time,” Tysha suddenly said with a demure smile on her face. Brienne’s eyes narrowed; she had worked with Tysha many times and demure was the last thing the woman was. By the way Jaime was shifting at her side, she knew that he felt the same way. “It’ll be like a double date! We haven’t had one yet!”

Tyrion shook his head and the happiness that Tysha exuded didn’t lend to Brienne interrupting with her usual objections to the implication that there was more going on between her and Jaime than… well… what  _ was  _ going on with her and Jaime. “We’ll figure out a time when we’re all free,” Tyrion said, smiling at his wife in a way that made all of the lines on his face go soft. It was clear that he absolutely adored her and the expression made Brienne’s heart flutter.

“Jaime, Brienne!”

Both of them turned to see Renly approaching them, and to Brienne’s shock, he was on Loras’ arm, both of them nearly entwined. “Loras! I didn’t know you were back in the city.” 

He nodded at her, “Back for a couple of weeks before the circuit demands my presence again. Long time no see, Brienne.”

“I didn’t…” Brienne’s eyes swept over to Margaery, who tilted her head.

“You didn’t know?” she asked, “I thought you knew that the reason Loras was acting all crazy was because they were apart.”

“I was not acting  _ crazy _ .” Margaery levelled a look at her brother, and he looked away from her petulantly. 

Renly smiled at Brienne, “I must have forgotten to mention, Loras is my boyfriend. I usually travel the circuits with him, but well… clearly Robert couldn’t be trusted with the Estates.”

“I’ll leave you three to talk,” Loras winked and went to join his sister, who waved him over and isolated their group as Renly continued his conversation with Jaime and Brienne. 

“It was actually Loras who directed us to Evenstar Architects,” Renly said, affection lacing his voice as his eyes continued to follow his partner, even after they were separated. “They only had good things to say about you, Brienne,” he continued and turned back to face her, “And it didn’t take me long to understand why.”

“I’m quite good friends with—“

Renly raised his eyebrow, “They didn’t sell you to us as their friend. They sold you to us as the architect for the Solarium. All they had to do was give my brothers and I a tour of the place, present their accounting details, talk to us about the ease of the process, and Stannis and I were on board.” Renly’s face twisted, “We thought Robert would understand why we chose you too, but… well… you’ve met him. Never met a woman he wasn’t smarter than.” Renly rolled his eyes.

“I…” Brienne began but didn’t know what else to say. She almost attempted to divert the conversation away from her by asking if Robert was at the gala, but Jaime squeezed her hand. She looked at him and he gave her an encouraging smile. Brienne took in a deep breath and gave the compliments time to settle. It wasn’t so bad to accept the praise once she gave herself a moment.

Renly continued, “I’ve been looking for you all night to say, thank you for making this everything that it is. I knew I could trust you with the major decisions when it came to this project. Your diligence and acumen is unparalleled, everyone that I have talked to tonight is absolutely stunned. You’re going to become a household name with all the powerful families in King’s Landing soon. You might need to expand Evenstar in the near future! I’m sure that tomorrow there will be many interested potential clients calling.”

Brienne felt tears well up in her eyes and she clutched Jaime’s hand, “I…” she began again, and this time tried her best to not retreat and detract from what was being said to her, “Thank you Renly. You don’t know what that means to me...” Brienne took a breath, “...that you deem me so capable.”

Renly chuckled, “Capable doesn’t cover half of it.” Then he turned to Jaime, “And you too, Jaime. I don’t mean to rain praises on Brienne and not give you your due diligence as well.”

Jaime glanced over at Brienne and smiled in a way that made his eyes sparkle and all of his laughter lines prominent, “I honestly don’t mind at all, as long as you don’t forget to tell her how amazing she is.”

Renly chuckled, “Both of you are truly remarkable. I couldn’t believe what was done with the space. I hope Burning Bright continues to get more work as well, whether with Evenstar Architects or elsewhere. I will certainly be recommending you both to anyone I know, whether or not they have a project in mind!”

Jaime nodded, “Thank you.”

Renly nodded again and then went to join Loras. Loras tugged him closer until their sides were once again welded together, “Can you believe this, Renly? Marg tells me they’re not dating?”

“Of course not. They’re married.”

“They  _ aren’t _ .”

“ _ What? _ ”

Margaery’s voice cackled, “Asha, Asha Greyjoy, isn’t here tonight, but boy does she have a story for all of you...”

Not paying attention to what was happening with the ominous gathering of too many people they knew, Jaime turned to Brienne and brushed his fingers against her cheek, “Do you need a moment?”

“Maybe some fresh air,” Brienne murmured, her voice thick. Jaime nodded and placed a comforting palm on the small of her back, guiding her towards one of the glass doors that led to the terraces outside. The ballroom and terraces would be repurposed after the gala into spaces and services that would be more useful for the residents of the Estates, but right now the terraces were empty and the evening air was warm. 

Jaime pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at the wetness around Brienne’s eyes. “I told you you’re amazing.”

Brienne gave a garbled laugh as she placed her hands on his waist and traced circles on his ribs with her thumbs, “I know, but it’s different hearing it from…”

“From someone with no ulterior wants from you,” he grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.

Brienne giggled and leaned into him, “Let’s go with that.”

Jaime sprung up on his toes a bit and kissed the tip of her nose, startling her somewhat, “I’m glad that he realized what a treasure you are.”

“A treasure,” she repeated incredulously. 

He nodded, “Absolutely.”

They spent another ten minutes outside talking before Sansa swept out with two flutes of champagne. “They’re doing the toast,” she informed them, “We saved you two seats at our table.” They nodded and went back inside to join their friends as Renly took centre stage.

After the speeches were done, dinner was served. Renly joined Loras at their table and Brienne engaged in conversation with those around her. Chatter filled the air and soon after the dessert plates were cleared music began to play. Margaery pulled at Sansa’s hand and tugged her away from the table to the dance floor, which caused the whole table to follow soon. 

“What do you think?” Jaime asked as he stood up and offered her his hand, “A couple dances, a few more drinks and then… after?”

Brienne blushed and nodded, placing her hand in his. He led her to the dance floor. It should have been awkward, to dance with Jaime when she towered nearly half a head taller than him, but he took her hand in his and held her waist as though holding her was completely natural. As the music suddenly turned slow, Brienne found herself feeling as if she was floating. And for a moment, a more confident version of her considered telling him how she felt. 

She didn’t. She wasn’t there quite yet. But now she knew she would be.

One day.

* * *

Jaime’s hands slid down the length of her calf, his touch warm and firm. His thumb circled the protrusion of her ankle bone, sending shivers coursing through her, leaving her just that little bit more aroused. She was aching for him, had been aching for him for what felt like hours now. He used a blue length of rope to bind her heel to her foot, weaving the strands over the top and tying the ends off behind the shoe’s heel. Then he looked back up at her, “Now you won’t be able to kick them off no matter what I do to you, wench.” His voice was deep and warm like honey. It was always a timber deeper during their scenes. She still didn’t know if he did it on purpose.

Brienne swallowed, as his eyes gleamed at her in promise. The tips of his fingers swept over the top of her foot as though daring her to try, and she took up the challenge. She flicked her leg and ankle straight, with the purpose of elongating the limb for her and his enticement, and realized a moment too late that maybe she should have aimed in a direction that wouldn’t have caused havoc and a hole in Jaime’s wall if her shoe did let loose and fly. Thankfully her heel stayed in place. 

The mortified look on her face though, made Jaime guffaw. “Gods,” he cried, his body shaking as his persona melted off of him. He stood up and hugged her, still laughing uncontrollably, “Brienne, you are...” Jaime’s eyes brightened as a thought came to his mind, “Did your inner goddess just experience a thrill?”

“What are you talking about?” Brienne whined as she shoved at Jaime’s shoulders, He was now wheezing so hard that tears were coming to his eyes.

He pulled her to her feet and held her as though they were dancing again, “Is it doing the Mereenese merengue? With the Summer Isle salsa?”

“Jaime! What are you going on about?” Brienne asked, trying to not join him in his laughter as he spun her around.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Jaime continued to laugh as he stumbled and they both crashed against his wall, his face buried into the crook of her shoulder, “For some reason the magical words of L.A. Baelish came to mind on this fine night.”

Brienne snorted, trying to hold in her giggles. She pulled at the hem of his suit jacket, “Mood killer.”

Jaime responded by nipping at her neck and pressing his pelvis against hers. Her body pulsed and hummed again. She felt like she was on the cusp of  _ something _ . And although they both still had all their clothes from the gala on, Brienne knew every line of him well enough to imagine how his body would line up with hers. “Miss Tarth—“ he purred, voice low, the dom personality he wielded with grace back in place. And although she knew he was saying more, she missed it all as a blaze of pleasure surged through her. It was unlike any other time, yet familiar enough that it could be nothing but. However, never before had it seemed to start from a place behind her eyes and then flood through her body. Usually it was the other way around. Usually, it took at least a little bit more than the simple change of the cadence of his voice. When she came back, some of her weight now rested in Jaime’s arms and her knees were shaking. “Wench… did you just...?”

Brienne blushed furiously as she threw herself back against the wall and covered her face with both of her hands in mortification. “Oh gods,” she muttered and peeked through her fingers at him.

Jaime’s expression was morphing from one of awe to that of a supernova like grin, “Fuck… you did!” He grabbed her wrists and brought them away from her face, pinning them to the wall on either side of her head. Her knees trembled in a pleasing sort of way. “Tell me Brienne,” he purred again.

“I…” Brienne didn’t even know what to say as her body shook, though it didn’t blaze the way it had just moments before. She had heard about these kinds of orgasms before, but had chalked up the idea of them as a fantasy. 

Jaime licked his lips, “New plan for the night. I want to see how many times I can make you come before you can’t take it anymore.”

“What? But what about you?”

Jaime smirked, “You don’t think this will drive me wild? Give me pleasure beyond compare?” Brienne opened her mouth to retort, but Jaime shook his head and moved his hands from her wrists to palms. He entwined their fingers and gave her hands a firm squeeze, “Tell me what all three colours mean Brienne. And clearly.”

“Jaime…”

He quirked his eyebrow haughtily at her, as though daring her to pretend that she wasn’t interested in his proposal for the night. “Brienne?”

She was extremely interested in his proposal. She had been interested from the moment that he had expressed it. The idea of him driving her to the edge of sensation rocked through her. “Green is go, yellow is slow down, red is full stop.”

“For this, tonight, I’ll stop if you say yellow as well.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” he repeated.

They took a moment to gaze into each other’s eyes. A familiar and undeniable warmth beat through her chest, and then Brienne said, “Green.”

Jaime immediately dropped to his knees and parted her skirt, pushing the fabric up and over his shoulder. “Fuck,” she heard his curse and she flushed. Expecting an actual undressing for the night, she had worn sheer, laced, black underwear, but even if Jaime didn’t quite get to see her lingerie on her the way she had intended, it was obvious he still appreciated it.

His lips started on her over the fabric. Her hands immediately tangled in his hair and he draped one of her legs over his shoulder. 

The rough texture of the fabric, along with the hot, wet strokes of his tongue, quickly sent her tumbling over the edge again, and then she felt him pull the fabric to the side so that his lips, teeth, and tongue could directly pleasure her. 

Everything that Jaime had ever learnt about how to make her come came to use. He used one of his hands to massage, stroke and squeeze her thigh as his tongue lapped at her outer and inner folds; when the right moment came, his teeth grazed her clit and his fingers pressed into her hip bone and it sent her spiralling up and then down. Her legs began to shake as his tongue delved into her next, lapping at the arousal that was dampening the inside of her thighs, before he moved back to suck on her clit. His hand cupped her bottom and gave another squeeze. His eyes turned up to look at her and their gazes met. She cried out as her knee buckled and he caught her before she ended up fully on the floor. 

Jaime wasted no time throwing her onto the bed and getting back down on his knees. This time his fingers joined his mouth. Sometimes the orgasms came quickly, one after another, as Jaime licked and nibbled and sucked, curling his fingers to press right where he knew Brienne derived the most sensation. Other times there was a pleasurable reprieve where as much as Jaime tried to coax her, Brienne’s body wouldn’t leap over the edge. Most times it was a boon that Jaime had bound her heels onto her feet or else they would have surely already gone flying as Brienne hissed, moaned, screamed, and sighed, her fingers pulling at his hair and pressing against his skull. Every time she looked down her body, it was like being in a sea of green.

When he finally stood up again, his trousers undone and his cock hard in his hand, Brienne blearily gazed at him as she tried to sit up to take off her dress. Jaime helped her, and instead of being at all useful in her haze, she undid his bow tie and used it as leverage to pull him down and kiss him. His beard was wet with her, and his taste was tinged musky, but clean, and she sighed into his mouth and pulled him closer. 

“You’re undoing my hard work, wench,” Jaime chuckled between kisses as her gown pooled at her waist. She hadn’t even felt him tug the zipper down. 

“Hardly,” she murmured back.

“You sound like a woman well ravished.”

“You’re being arrogant, Jaime,” Brienne said with a quirk of her lips as she finally let him go so that he could properly undress. She lifted her hips carefully, pulled her dress down over her shoes and then threw it out of the way to deal with the next day. 

Jaime took off his jacket, undid his cufflinks, and then peeled off his shirt, now damp with sweat, but he didn’t seem to care as he removed it and then one by one the other articles of his clothes joined hers. “Are you okay for…?” he gestured at his cock.

“Green. Come here,” Brienne demanded.

“I have unleashed a beast, I see,” Jaime smirked. 

“Already giving up on your challenge?”

Jaime sauntered up to her and manoeuvred both of them so that they were lying on the bed, with him on top and nestled comfortably between her thighs. “I can get you there more than seven times, I’m sure,” he purred and guided himself into her.

Brienne sighed as she hitched her legs over his hips and crossed her ankles at the small of his back. He got her there once before he came and then he was once again worshipping her with his mouth. 

Brienne bit her lip as Jaime stared at her while licking himself off of her skin and shook as his fingers slid back into her. This time instead of going slow, he worked her at a punishing pace, and she shivered as the highs began to blend together and then suddenly the pleasant blissful sensation began to morph and almost  _ burn _ .

Her eyes snapped open as her chest heaved, “Jaime!” she huffed, as the roils of pleasure began to feel like bolts of lightning igniting her veins. “Jaime, yellow!”

He immediately stopped everything he was doing, retracting all forms of his touch, and hastily crawled up beside her body so that they were face to face, “What do you need? Are you too sensitive for…”

Brienne rolled into him and took him into her arms, her body shaking and her breathing shallow, “No, this is okay, just... I think we just reached my threshold.”

Jaime’s hands immediately rubbed up and down her back to sooth her. “Do you want me to take off the heels right away or…”

“Give me a moment, please?” she breathed into his neck.

Jaime nodded and held her tight. “Blanket?”

“You’re warm enough.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Blanket?” he asked again and nuzzled her temple.

“Yes please,” Brienne murmured and kissed his chin.

He pulled the blanket over them both and continued to run his hands over her skin in large comforting strokes, “Was that okay?”

“It was amazing until I hit the wall,” Brienne replied and looked up at him so that he could see the happy, but tired smile on her face.

“You didn’t try to hold out against the pain or—“

Brienne shook her head quickly to reassure him, “No,” she ran her hands up and down his sides, realizing that maybe he too needed some comfort after she had used one of their safe words.

He snuggled closer to her, confirming her suspicions, but it seemed he was otherwise content, “Did you… was that enjoyable?” 

Brienne couldn’t help but laugh, “It was incredibly enjoyable.”

Jaime let out a long sigh, “Good.”

She poked his nose, “More than good. It’s too bad that’s not something I can do to you.”

He laughed.

* * *

They were curled up together on his futon, leaning against each other’s sides. Brienne’s heels were now off and a hot cup of honey lemon water was cradled in her hands. The television was on, but the volume was turned low. They were only half watching what was happening on the screen.

“Brienne…” Jaime murmured quietly.

“Hm?” She turned towards him and saw that her movement had dislodged his cheek’s resting place. She reached out with one of her hands and cradled his face, her thumb brushing against his cheekbone. He didn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes fluttering closed, and he simply leaned into her touch. “Jaime?” she asked again, a touch of concern flooding her voice. 

“What do you think about…” Jaime took in a deep breath and opened his eyes. They met hers in an expression that was so open and so vulnerable and also so endlessly trusting, “How do you feel about switching?”

Brienne blinked a couple times and Jaime straightened. 

He put a hand on her thigh. “Only if you’re comfortable of course,” he began to ramble, “If you’re no longer interested in switching then you only have to tell me and we don’t have to—“

“Jaime,” she murmured as softly as possible. His cheeks were dusted in the barest of flushes. That was the equivalent of her turning fire engine red. She thought back to what he had told her. Of his past as a sub, of how his girlfriend, his high school sweetheart, had treated him and how much he had endured. She thought about how he had loved her. “You’re ready? Are you sure you want to?” she asked in clarification. 

Jaime nodded then reached up to cup her face too, “I’m sure I want to… with you. Do you want to?”

Brienne scraped her teeth over her lower lips and knew that her face was flushing in ugly blotches, “I would like to.”

“Okay.”

Brienne smiled, “Okay.”

A large smile pulled at his lips, “Okay,” He nearly laughed in joy and then collapsed and curled so that his head was on her lap.

Brienne laughed as she ran her hands through his hair, “There’s a lot we’re going to have to go through.”

“Of course,” Jaime grinned up at her dopily.

“I know you have experience, but we’re going to start slow.”

Jaime nodded in excitement and buried his face into her stomach, “As slow as we both need.”

And suddenly she realized that he was healing… moving on, the ties to the woman he had loved and who had hurt him unravelling. 

She pulled him closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The appearance of Brienne's inner goddess is thanks to a wonderful group of people. Ya'll know who ya'll are.
> 
> I commissioned art for this chapter!!! Find it [here](https://eryiscrye.tumblr.com/post/626141664885587968/so-i-forgot-about-the-fact-that-the-jb-fic).
> 
> The next chapter... is not quite written yet. I'll try for continuing my weekly updates, but I do apologize if I sputter.


	24. Lipstick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to lewispanda for betaing and for the pic that inspired Brienne's outfit!!!

The first thing they did was extensively go over the contracts that they had started together months ago.  _ B-Dom and J-Sub. _ It was only the switch of two letters at the top of the paper, of the spreadsheet, but it changed everything. Jaime nearly completely filled his out within minutes, but Brienne took her time and asked him questions about how it felt like to dom, to do things she knew he enjoyed doing while in that role. Some of the things he spoke about seemed like things she would enjoy planning, others not so much. Jaime didn’t mind going intense right away, expressed that he preferred it even, but also he was perfectly happy if they took it slow.

Brienne, who was a bit  _ more _ nervous at the prospect of having to be dominant  _ without _ props, appreciated that he was willing to take as much time as she needed to get her more comfortable with the idea of simply…  _ everything _ .

Whether it was sitting at his kitchen table for hours, tying the same knots again and again and again, or visiting The Quiet Isle three times a week for extensive periods as Brienne personally investigated the kind of equipment he preferred, he didn’t seem to mind one bit. If anything, he seemed delighted by her furrowed brows of concentration whenever he spoke. He liked to smooth them out with little kisses. 

Jaime’s kisses and his hand squeezing hers always soothed her nerves whenever talking about his preference in toys got a bit overwhelming. He already knew much of what he liked. And while they had been going through his preferences, she had even discovered a couple more toys that she thought she would like for him to try on her. Her box of sexy things grew and his box of sexy things rapidly formed. 

Some of the things he wanted to do, she wasn’t ready for yet, but she still took a look at the harnesses and the…  _ implements _ , the near mind boggling diversity of them, and wondered how they would look on her. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to try it out eventually. Just not for their first… or maybe their first five times. He never pressured her, though he didn’t gloss over his interest either.

For some reason, Asha often gaped at them openly while they wandered the aisles of her shop and was almost always on her phone furiously texting whenever her eyes weren’t glued to them.

Brienne also spent a lot of time doing more research online. Jaime knew a lot, but he didn’t know everything there was to know and Brienne wanted to make sure that his experience this time was…  _ more _ than what he had last experienced as a sub. More in what  _ exactly _ – safety? comfort? care? – she wasn’t sure, but she knew she wanted it for him.

It was how she had managed to clarify one of his preferences. Something he had talked circles around, but hadn’t been able to succinctly define. She liked dirty talk and he… well, Jaime had a praise kink. 

She could do that. That was something she could do.

* * *

The way that Jaime was looking at her set her blood on fire. She hadn’t thought that the switch in their dynamic would change that, but to have it confirmed was another thing entirely. She didn’t mind that he would always have a little power over her. She just hoped that somehow she also always held a little power over him. 

His fingers caressed her hips, played with the ties, and tangled slightly with the azure, silk fabric of the dressing gown she was wearing. “Will you show me what you’re wearing underneath, Brienne?” Jaime asked. His voice wasn’t pitched to the low, rumbling one he used when he was doming, but it wasn’t his normal voice either. It was raspy and rich and just a little bit wanting, and oh did she want to give to him.

She placed her hands solidly on his waist, her palms flat, her fingers spread, and felt his rib cage move as he sucked in a breath. Brienne leaned forward, “Do you want to know, Jaime?” He nodded his head almost frantically and she stepped back out of his reach. “Don’t move.” He stood still, his attention riveted. The way he responded to her commands was so  _ different _ to the way she responded to him. It was almost incongruous that he didn’t seem to want to fight her. But what he was looking for as a sub was different than what she was looking for, and it was fascinating to see this new brilliant facet of him.

Brienne took a deep breath and undid the ties that held her dressing gown together. The silk flowed over her shoulders, down her arms, over her body, and pooled at her feet. She brushed her hands over the rose pink, flowery teddy she was wearing underneath, her fingers and palm gracing over the lace and embroidery. It wasn’t made to look great on someone like her; the colour blended in with the pale and pink hue of her skin, she thought it looked far too delicate for her inherently blocky frame, she had  _ never _ worn something that looked like this before, but also…

She didn’t care.

She liked the teddy. She liked the soft colour. She liked the flowery style. She liked the way it made her  _ feel _ .

The lingerie was very different from the images of the outfits that she had initially formed in her head of what a domme looked like, but her research had told her that… well… a domme didn’t have to look any particular way. Being a domme, being a sub, the whole dynamic was about the people involved, what they had agreed to, and the trust they had in each other. Her relationship with Jaime proved this in leaps and bounds.

She  _ knew _ that Jaime wouldn’t judge her choice of clothes for the night as long as she was happy and comfortable. She was very happy and very comfortable, albeit a bit nervous. Brienne looked over at Jaime and confirmed what she already knew. His eyes were wide as he drank her in. “Wow,” he murmured as his eyes met hers, “You look…” His hands went up to rub at his face as a groan escaped his lips.

She gave him a shy smile, “Thank you.”

His hands slid down his neck and she could see him press his fingers into the tight muscle and tendons there, “Gods, you’re killing me Brienne, ever since you told me your plans last night…”

Brienne blushed a bright red. 

Last night they hadn’t seen each other, but they had chatted over the phone for what had ended up being hours. The original intention of the call had been to do something that Jaime had never done for her, but what she had felt like she needed to do for her first, and maybe her second and third, time doming for him - tell him explicitly what she would do to him. She had spent an hour or so detailing to him what her plans for him for the night of their scene was. She had told him the equipment she would use, the order she would use them in, the general pace she would go, and how long she planned their scene to be. However, she hadn’t detailed to him the fun minutia she had wanted to add in between. 

The plan had riled them both up and for the first time in what had felt like months, they had capped the conversation with a good bought of phone sex, with Jaime acting as the dom. After, their rings hadn’t stopped glowing as they had talked about everything and nothing until she had fallen asleep.

Brienne took a sturdy step forward and grabbed Jaime’s wrists. She pulled them away from his neck and flipped her hold so that she could intertwine their fingers. She leaned into the crook of his neck and pressed a kiss to his skin just above the collar of his shirt. She had told Jaime to wear something cheap, without telling him why, but he hadn’t listened. Now the poor, probably overly expensive high thread Mereenese cotton tailored dress shirt would probably be stained in cheap, bright red lipstick for the rest of time. It really had been her intention only to mark  _ him _ . To leave a temporary physical trace on his skin so that at the end of the night he could see all the places she had kissed him. So that he would know that he was lo—

“So quiet, Brienne,” Jaime nearly whined.

Brienne harrumphed a bit, and using her body to guide his, she walked him backwards until they hit the foot of the bed. Jaime dramatically flopped backwards and Brienne climbed on top of him then straddled his hips. “I’m not you.”

“Well, thank the gods for that,” Jaime smirked, although his pupils were blown and his hips were almost imperceptibly rolling into the cradle of her thighs. There was no doubt that he wanted her, wanted her even when she was the one that was in control.

Brienne smiled at him and adorably, Jaime tilted his head in confusion. She pressed their interlaced hands onto the bed and suddenly there was  _ no _ green left in his eyes. Brienne leaned down and murmured into his ear, “Thank the gods for you, Jaime Lannister.”

Jaime shuddered beneath her.

She disentangled her hands from his, but he still didn’t move. “You’re so good, Jaime,” she continued and ran her fingers over his covered collarbone, over the lapels of his shirt, until they reached the hollow. “Tell me, what’s your favourite colour?”

The word came out almost like a wheeze, “Green.”

Slowly, slowly, she undid the buttons of his shirt, taking the time to trace her fingers over his skin, draw patterns over the planes of his chest as it was revealed to her. Jaime shivered at her touch and stared at her enthralled. She shifted on his lap as his shirt fell open, then said in a commanding tone, “Sit up… please.”

“You’re a very polite domme,” Jaime murmured, a grin mixed with desperation on his face, as he pushed himself up. 

Brienne pressed a kiss to his jaw just under his left ear as she peeled his shirt off of his shoulders. Once it was off, she moved his hands to her waist where his fingers danced on the pink lace. Then, she wrapped herself around him and held him against her for a moment “We all have our ways.”

She felt him sigh and nuzzle into her, “I like it. It’s very… you.” Brienne hummed and then climbed off his lap. “Though that’s not very polite,” Jaime pouted. She raised her eyebrow at him and knelt on the floor between his knees.

“You made the assumption.” Her hands didn’t leave him and settled feather light on his thighs. She had promised herself that she would maintain contact with him the whole scene. And she  _ would _ . “You can have your hands in my hair, no tugging.” His fingers immediately curled behind her head and over her crown, gently cradling her as though she was somehow delicate.

Although their arrangement for the scene, her telling him her plans, would probably happen only two or three more times, she already knew that her scenes for him would involve very little spontaneity unlike his scenes for her. The designation of “NO” on their checklist didn’t even come close to how Jaime felt about abandonment during a scene, so she had to have everything prepared and within reach prior to starting. He said that he was fine as long as she was in the room with him, but she knew that she wanted him to feel better than just  _ fine. _

Brienne leaned forward and pressed her lips to the spot just below his navel then slowly rose back to her feet as she reversed the path her fingers had taken, pressing kisses up his abdomen and chest. Jaime shuddered at her touch and his fingers pressed against her scalp, but he didn’t tangle them in her hair. The moment she rose to her feet, she cupped his chin and pressed her lips to his. Jaime half attempted to tug her toward him, back onto his lap, but she didn’t follow on his silent request.

Instead, she crawled around him and behind him. She wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her cheek against the top of his spine. “Take off your trousers, Jaime.”

Jaime took them off in a rush, and Brienne couldn’t help but giggle at his eagerness. She pressed her lips to the knob at the base of his neck and smiled at the lipstick mark she had left behind. She knew her sheets would probably be a bust after tonight, but it would be worth it. 

“Trousers and boxers are off,” Jaime breathed impatiently.

Brienne hummed, “You’re so good, Jaime.” Again she felt him shudder beneath her. So simple. Such clumsy, awkward words on her tongue, and yet they brought him such pleasure. She reached behind her and grabbed the cock ring she had placed on the bed. She held it in front of him so they could both see the device. “Do you want me to put this on you?”

“Yes,” Jaime groaned.

She kissed his shoulder and then reached for the bottle of lube. Although it was slightly awkward for her, she continued to press her chest to his back, and prepared the toy in front of both of them. She squeezed a lube onto the silicon and made sure the ring was slick before she reached for him. He was already erect, though not fully so, but still she bit her lip in worry. “Will it be okay?”

“I’m still soft enough. But I can help,” he suggested.

“Help me,” Brienne agreed.

He helped her stretch and then slide the silicon down his length and settled it at the base. Jaime liked it, and even preferred it, when the ring also encapsulated his balls, but she would try that another time.

Brienne breathed a sigh of accomplishment then wrapped her hand around his cock. Jaime sucked in a sharp breath and groaned. “Brienne…”

She hummed as she slid her slick hand hard over the length of him. She teased the head with her thumb, running the pad of her finger over his slit, and felt as he hardened further at her touch. He didn’t want pain, but he liked it rough and intense. It was a fine balance to manage, but she had asked a multitude of questions and she believed she could handle it. Jaime would also tell her if she did something he didn’t enjoy. He trusted her enough to do so, or at least she desperately hoped. “Do you like that, Jaime?”

Jaime tossed his head languidly back to rest on her shoulder. However, her other hand settled on his forehead and pulled his head back so that he was arched and  _ tense  _ against her, “Yes, I—“ she gave his cock a brief squeeze. He groaned loudly, “Has anyone ever told you you’re a wicked woman?”

Brienne smiled then reached behind her again with her other hand. She grabbed the bundle of rope she had left there. “Hands behind your back…” Brienne licked her lips and thanked the gods that she could easily hide her face by burying her nose in the nape of his neck, “Sweetheart.”

Jaime shuddered again and immediately his arms were behind him. 

Brienne ran her hand down his spine, starting at the lipstick mark, making sure that she didn’t scratch him. He usually loved having her nails dig into him, but he had said he didn’t enjoy it overly much when he was acting at the sub. “So obedient,” she cooed and released his cock.

Jaime let out a breath, “I knew you would be the type to tease.”

Brienne slowly began to secure his arms with the rope. She wasn’t nearly as fast as Jaime was when he bound her, but she was just as careful. The type of bondage she used for him was also different than what he used for her. Her flexibility allowed her to be easily double column bound behind her back, but because of his injury and his own flexibility, the method she used didn’t force his arms to bend as much. 

She slid her two fingers out between the rope and his skin. “Does that feel okay?”

Jaime wiggled a bit to test the ties, although she already sensed that he wouldn’t be the type to pull against them, “Feels perfect.”

“Wonderful.” And then Brienne did the thing that she had been the most nervous about doing. She moved her body slightly to one of his sides then used her strength and her weight to flip him onto his front while also stepping out of bed and grounding her feet back onto the floor. Brienne steadied her breath at the sight of Jaime bent over in front of her and immediately settled her body over his, pinning him to her mattress. “Are you okay?” she asked as she pressed kisses over his shoulder blades, over his muscles, and spine. Her hand was curled in his golden hair, tugging forcefully on the locks and pulling his head back.

“Gods, oh fucking gods, yes,” Jaime moaned, the contrast of words and sensations causing his voice to waver.

“Do you still want the beads?” Brienne asked and gently ran her hand over the curve of his ass.

“Please,” he pleaded. 

Brienne nodded and let him go. Jaime settled, what she thought was quite happily, against the mattress. She grabbed the bottle of lube again and the large connected silicon beads. Squeezing more lube onto her fingers, Brienne gently touched the tight ring of his asshole. “Tell me if I go too fast,” she instructed.

Jaime nodded and turned his head to the side, pressing his cheek into her cool sheets. He looked delighted and flushed and it made Brienne’s blood sing. Slowly, she worked one finger into him, then two and then three because it was what he liked and could handle, while adding copious amounts of lube as she went. Jaime groaned in pleasure and rocked his hips into her mattress, seeking out friction, as she explored and sought out his prostate. She knew she had found the sweet spot when Jaime jerked beneath her and nearly shouted in pleasure. “Thank fuck the ring holds me back a little,” Jaime huffed as though he had just run a marathon, rubbing his face into the sheets, “Almost came in the first act.”

Brienne smiled and stroked the spot again. Now she understood the joy that Jaime found in curling his fingers into her sweet spot.

“Wench!” Jaime cried.

Brienne couldn’t help but giggle a little bit before she pulled her fingers out of him. Jaime whimpered at the loss, but soon enough she was pressing a golf ball sized, lube coated, black, silicon bead back against his asshole.

“Fuck!” He shouted as the first one popped in. Brienne quickly pressed the second, and then the third one into him until only the thick base remained.

“Tell me how you feel, Jaime.”

“So bloody full.”

She tapped the base. “Tell me your favourite colour, sweetheart.”

Jaime whimpered a bit. He knew what was about to happen next. “Green.”

Once again Brienne used her strength to flip him back on his back while also shifting him up, fully onto the bed. The toys that had been placed carefully on her mattress were now around or in him, leaving the whole bed just for them and their bottle of lube. She worried her lips and glanced at her pillows. He had told her he didn’t want them, liked the intensity of not being propped up and off his arms, but she wanted to make sure. Especially considering his injury. “Are you sure your arms are okay?”

Jaime nodded frantically again. Brienne nodded back, applied lube liberally to his cock, smiling when he groaned, then straddled his hips. She placed her hands on his chest and pressed down on him. Jaime threw his head back at the sensation and Brienne licked her lips. She didn’t know how much lipstick was still on them; there was so much on  _ him. _

“Do you want to be inside me, Jaime?”

“Desperately.”

She lifted herself slightly and pulled her teddy to the side. Without preamble, she sank onto his cock. Jaime shouted and she immediately took him to the hilt, and felt the silicon of his cock ring against her. “Jaime—“

“Green, fuck Brienne, please.”

She rode him at a punishing pace. 

And watched as she wrecked him.

He was so hard inside her.

His chest vibrated with every sound he made, and the rumble coursed through her. It only took a couple of minutes. “Brienne, please, tell me I can— I can’t hold out for much— even with the—“

“Jaime, do you want to come?” Brienne asked as she watched his face twist in pleasure. He groaned. Brienne bore her weight down on him, “Tell me you want to come, Jaime.”

“I want to come.”

“Come for me.”

Jaime shuddered violently beneath her as he came. Brienne pressed kisses to his cheeks, to his forehead, to his lips. She now only left faint traces behind.

“Are you still okay to continue?”

Jaime could barely get the words out, but still he dazedly rasped, “Get up here, wench.”

Quickly, she moved off of his cock, continuing to hold her pink teddy to the side, and crawled up his body until she was straddling his face. For having just been overcome, Jaime licked at her,  _ at him _ , with fervour. She didn’t press down onto his mouth as far as he usually tugged her when he was in control, for fear of suffocating him, although he had told her last night that she wouldn’t and that even if she did, it would be the optimum way to go. But still Jaime found a way to make the sensations flowing through her no less pleasurable.

After Jaime had done what he could to clean her up, his lips and tongue and teeth attacked her clit and she couldn’t help but roll her hips against him. He responded to the movement with even more enthusiasm, making her come within seconds. 

Jaime continued to lap at the slick.

After taking a moment, Brienne pulled away although Jaime grumbled, and scrambled to flip him onto his side. The first thing she did was undo the rope binding his arms and once those were free she slid down the rest of his body. He was near flaccid now, and so with just a little bit of extra lube, the cock ring came off easily. She then carefully pulled out the beads and tossed all of the equipment in a plastic bin.

After she was finished, he engulfed her in a hug and pulled her in for a kiss. “How was it for you?” He asked between kisses, “Your first time.”

Brienne murmured against his mouth, “I think I’ll find my stride with time.” She then pulled away to check his arms.

He wiggled his fingers for her and waved the appendage around to appease her worry. “Well, I say that you were excellent.”

Brienne blushed as she clutched his bicep. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

Jaime chuckled, “Gods, Brienne. Did I enjoy myself? I’m pretty sure the neighbours can affirm that I enjoyed myself. But I think I’ll need a couple more scenes before I’m… back at my full stride too.”

Brienne blushed even hotter. “It didn’t seem like you needed several scenes to get used to doming.”

Jaime grinned at her, “Seem.”

She laughed, “We should get into the shower.”

Jaime nodded. Showering was one of the specific kinds of aftercare things he enjoyed doing after subbing. Optimally with his partner. Optimally with her. Brienne didn’t mind that desire one bit. It had been why she had been inspired with the idea of the lipstick.

They ambled off the bed. Brienne couldn’t help but peek out of her bedroom towards the front door to assure an all clear first and Jaime cackled in delight before they dashed for the shower. Inside her washroom, Brienne threw open the shower door, turned on the hot water and waited for it to get warm as she shed her pink teddy. “Jaime, it’s ready now,” she told him after testing the temperature. When she didn’t get a reply, she turned towards him and found him staring into the mirror, his hands brushing over all the lipstick marks that covered his body. Brienne blushed hot red at the sight. He looked ridiculous and she was sure her face was smeared with the stuff. “Sorry, I thought it would be nice, but maybe it’s just messy.”

Jaime turned towards her and then suddenly he was in front of her, pressing her against the wall with his body and his lips were  _ attacking _ her face. “No, fuck. Don’t be sorry. I love them, I love—. I’ll be sad to see them get washed away.” He buried his face into the crook of her shoulder and she squeaked as his lips and teeth marked her.

Brienne wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him close. Tentatively, she pressed her mouth just under his ear and also left a mark that would remain even after they were clean.

Then they both crawled under the spray, and helped wash each other clean. Jaime insisted on counting the lipstick marks and Brienne traced all of the ones on his back before she soaped them away. 

After, they raided the kitchen, changed the sheets, and then tangled together in a mess of limbs. They held each other close and talked and talked, before suddenly Jaime said, “You’re perfect.”

Brienne startled as she stared into his eyes. They were so bright and happy. “Jaime…?”

A smile like no other burst on his face, “You’re just… gods, Brienne, you’re everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter fun fact: in the chapter outline, THIS is where I noted “Jaime realizes he is in love with Brienne”... little did I know that Jaime had his own plans


	25. Things That Don't Matter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing!!!

_The Idiot ♥️: I’m outside_

Brienne blinked at her phone and then abruptly shot out of her office chair. Grabbing everything she needed as quickly as she could, she stuffed the items into her bag then left her office. Podrick was just packing up for the day and his eyes widened when he saw her bolt past. “Have a good night, Ms. Tarth!” he called after her.

“Have a wonderful evening. And it’s Brienne, Podrick!” she berated, “We’ve had drinks together, you said you would.”

Podrick smiled at her as the elevator dinged, “Have a good night with Jaime, Ms. Brienne.”

Brienne threw him an exasperated but affectionate look as she climbed into the elevator, before she realized what he had just said. “Wait, how do you know that I’m meeting Jaime?”

Podrick chuckled, “The look on your face, Ms. Brienne.” 

The elevator doors closed and Brienne felt her face heat up. Heat up more? What had her face looked like? What was it that Podrick had seen?

Brienne rued the entire elevator ride down to the lobby, but the moment the doors were open again, all such thoughts flitted away. She could see through the windows Jaime waiting outside the building doors, staring at the sky as the soon to be setting sun caught in his golden hair. Taking long, quick strides, Brienne exited the building, and he turned to her before she even managed to fully get his name out. “Surprise, Brienne,” he grinned boyishly, as though he had just pulled off the most fiendish of schemes by showing up at her office building. She couldn’t help the way her heart fluttered.

Over the past couple of days, a thought had taken root in her mind. A thought that was both so beautiful and so dangerous that she couldn’t quite dare to look directly at it.

“Jaime,” Brienne replied and walked into his embrace as though there was some invisible force drawing her to him. Her tone, there was a reason that her voice sounded like it did when she said his name and… and she couldn’t help but notice that his voice sounded so much the same. So, _so_ much the same. “What are you doing here? Weren’t we supposed to meet at my place later?”

He chuckled. One of his hands settled feather light on her hip, and the other reached up to push a lock of hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear. The tips of his fingers skimmed over her temple and the shell of her ear. “I wanted to surprise you by coming to pick you up and taking you out for dinner before,” he explained and then a smirk began to tug at the corner of his lips, “You got down here awfully fast.”

She flushed in embarrassment, but pressed her cheek into his palm nonetheless. “I was about to go home anyways.”

The smirk fully bloomed on Jaime’s face, “Any later and I would have ruined my own surprise?” 

Brienne bit her lip and played with the buttons on his dress shirt, her fingers caressing his chest. She diverted the conversation to more important matters, “Are you still sure you’re okay for tonight? We can postpone it again, you know.”

Jaime tapped her on the nose with his thumb, “My hand’s okay now.”

She frowned, “You’re not feeling any twinges?”

“Nothing remotely disconcerting since the weekend. We had dinner together yesterday, you know it’s okay.”

Brienne still couldn’t help but bite her lip in worry. About a week ago, she had woken up in the middle of the night to her phone ringing. Confused and groggy, she had answered the call and like being doused with cold water, the speaker and their tone of voice on the other end had roused her completely. 

The person who had called her in the dead of night had been Jaime. Jaime in pain. Jaime in so much pain that she had had to drive to his house and rush him to the hospital. She had sat holding him in the waiting room for hours as he had buried his face into her shoulder, tears leaking from his eyes as the nerve in his arm had distressed him. The doctors had eventually been able to see to him, but they hadn’t been able to do more than give him strong painkillers and send him home. She had slept over at his house for three nights after that, curled up beside him and giving him as much comfort as she could, until he had been able to ween himself off of the strong painkillers and then even his over the counter ones. They had rescheduled some of their planned scenes for another day. 

Today being that day.

“Brienne, trust me when I say I’m okay.” She looked down at his earnest face, into the heartfelt glow of his eyes.

Brienne took his right hand in hers and ran her thumbs over his knuckles and the rest of her fingers over his palm. “You know I trust you.”

Jaime smiled almost shyly, “Good.” 

In truth, it had been the phone call that had planted the seed in her mind. Jaime hadn’t called his brother, hadn’t called his other friends. He had called _her_ in his time of need. She had been the first person he had thought of when he had woken up in the middle of the night, near delirious with pain. She had been the one that he had wanted by his side while he could do little else but cry. She had been the one that he had wanted to stay by his side during the long nights after, even though both Tyrion and Tysha had offered. She was the one that he had trusted to care for him when he couldn’t care for himself.

These thoughts did pose one question though, as hypocritical as it was. Why hadn’t he said anything yet? The possible answer to this question was the one thing that made her doubt, that prevented the seed from fully sprouting. 

Jaime was so outspoken, so ready to face the world and say what was on his mind. So if he lo— felt something for her, why hadn’t he said so? Maybe she _was_ wrong and he didn’t feel that way for her. Maybe she was just seeing what she was hoping to see.

But also maybe he hadn’t said anything yet for the same reasons she hadn’t. Maybe he was just as afraid of losing her as much as she was afraid of losing him.

“Brienne?”

She blinked and pulled herself out of her reverie to see Jaime’s concerned expression, “Are _you_ feeling okay?”

She smiled at him, “I am, was just thinking about something. What were you saying?”

“I was wondering if you had any suggestions for where we could go to get dinner.”

She smiled, “I know this nice little place. It’s a little bit out of the way, but it’s a walkable distance from here and then to my house afterwards.”

Jaime grinned at her and retracted the hand against her cheek to take her hand instead. “Lead the way.”

* * *

Jaime patted his stomach somewhat dramatically and it made Brienne want to burst out in dumb giggles. They were hand in hand, walking home from the restaurant. “Your food recommendations always hit the spot. I’m so glad that it’s a bit of a walk to your house, because if it weren’t I would have had to have just lain on your couch and digested for a bit,” he shot her a heated look, “And that’s definitely not what I want to be doing when we get to your house.” Brienne blushed. Though she had dommed several times since her first, today was going to be the first time that she hadn’t detailed to him her plans at all before one of their scenes and Jaime had expressed his enthusiasm at the prospect multiple times. “But also, I’m offended you hadn’t introduced me to this place sooner.”

Brienne laughed, bumped her hip into his, and enjoyed his mock affront, “I’m sorry it didn’t cross my mind. Next time I’ll make sure to recommend every food place I’ve ever known to you.”

Jaime wrapped his arm around her waist, “Inexcusable,” he teased. 

“You’re ridiculous,” Brienne giggled, then noted the little complex of businesses up ahead. “Oh, here’s a place that sells really good ice cream.”

He frowned, “I’m too full for ice cream. We’ll have to go next time.”

“You were just complaining that I wasn’t introducing you to places in a more timely manner,” she teased.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he growled playfully and nosed her temple. He then looked back at the shops. “Good strategy though, to have a wench-recommended ice cream parlour right beside a gym.”

Brienne stumbled a little bit in realization and Jaime shot her a curious glance. How could she have forgotten that this way home passed by this place? How could she have let her guard down so thoroughly? “Come on, Jaime. Let’s get back.” She quickened her pace.

Jaime’s eyebrows furrowed as he met her step for step. However, his gaze was trained back on the large glass windows of her old gym. She had always hated the choice the gym owners had taken in trying to advertise their equipment. Not everyone wanted to be stared at while they were working out. And she was often stared at even when she wasn’t also flushed and sweaty. The saving grace of the place was that they did have a private area in the back, which she had used as often as she could. But that place wasn’t safe anymore either. This whole place wasn’t safe. Not after… “Hey, this facility looks really nice and it’s close to your home. Why didn’t you go to—?“

“Is that who I think it is?”

Brienne tensed and nearly broke out in a sprint, but Jaime didn’t know to do the same, slowing her down. The tips of his fingers pressed into her side. “Brienne?” he whispered in question. She tried to get her breathing under control. _He couldn’t hurt her anymore. She had never given him the power to hurt her._ Except that she had. 

“Fuck, if it isn’t actually Beauty!” It wasn’t odd to hear such things shouted on the streets of King’s Landing. If Jaime hadn’t had his arm around her and hadn’t felt her change in composure, he might not have even given the shouted words a second thought. She shouldn’t have reacted. But it was too late for that now.

“Didn’t think you’d ever be brave enough to show your ugly mug around here again,” the all too familiar voice taunted from behind them, getting closer. Her breathing sped further up as she remembered the last time she had heard it. 

Jaime became rigid beside her. “Tell me he isn’t talking about you,” Jaime growled lowly.

Brienne bit her lip, unable to meet Jaime’s searching eyes and simply prayed that Red wouldn’t say anything more. “Come on, Jaime,” she murmured, evading his question, and attempted to tug him along. She expected him to resist, but he easily moved along with her.

“Yo dude, from one man to another, save yourself the trouble. The amount of cash you stand to gain? It’s not worth it. Beauty spreads her legs for anyone who can stand to look at her face.” Red’s voice was closer still. He was _following_ them. 

Jaime matched her pace as she sped up. They were clear of the gym now, “Brienne?” he asked, but didn’t slow down. 

She remembered now. She had told Jaime extensively about Hyle, but not so much about Red and the bet. A blip. Him and the whole bet had been just a stupid blip. “He’s not talking to us,” Brienne whispered desperately. Jaime, his eyes shining with concern, nodded at her and followed her as she turned a corner. She tried to stop the tears that were gathering in her eyes. Red wasn’t worth her tears. Not anymore. She had cried them out long ago. 

After they turned the corner and cleared half a block, Jaime told her, “I think we left him behind.” Brienne nodded and came to a stop, heaving.

“Hey, hey,” he murmured, “I’m here.” Jaime’s thumb swiped gently across her cheek. She was ready to curse her damn emotions out. Why wouldn’t they just listen to her! She hiccuped and Jaime frowned.

“Oi, Tarth, you fucking hairy slut, trying to pretend you can’t hear me?” the voice taunted.

Jaime whipped around to face the source, brimming with barely contained rage. Brienne reluctantly turned with him, and there he was. Ronnet “Red” Connington approaching them. He looked the same as he ever had, fairly attractive, though now not nearly as much since a new high bar had been set, and with a lop-sided smile on his face. She wished she had been able to tell that the smile was false earlier, but seeing it now, for what it truly was… well… clarity hit her. Her tears dried up. Red had thought he had won. He had thought that he had ingrained himself permanently as a scar on her consciousness. But he hadn’t. He simply _hadn’t_. He hadn’t crossed her mind once these last few months. He hadn’t, even when she had pointed out the ice cream parlour right beside the gym. She straightened herself to her full height and met Red’s now daunted leer. “Jaime, don’t. He’s not worth it,” Brienne said and meant it.

“You want to talk,” Jaime growled, “Let’s talk.”

“Jaime!” Brienne hissed as he slipped out of grasp to stand before Red.

Red grinned at Jaime as though he had just made a friend, though Brienne couldn’t even imagine why he would think that. To her, Jaime was near to bursting with leashed fury. “I’ll buy you a round in condolence. You would think she’s a virgin, what with her—“

“Brienne,” Jaime said, interrupting Red. He looked decidedly miffed. “Do you know this man?” he asked again.

Brienne sighed and came up to Jaime’s side. She levelled a glare at Red, whose lips were twitching in a barely contained sneer. “He’s just another asshole. It doesn’t really matter.”

Jaime hummed, and then without any further ceremony, he took a swing with his right hand. His fist connected squarely with Red’s jaw and the man was sent sprawling in the dirt.

“Jaime!” Brienne screamed as he shook his hand loose. She grabbed it and examined his reddening and split knuckles. “Your right hand _just_ stopped hurting the other day, what the _fuck_ are you doing?”

He grinned much too happily at her, “There would have been no protestations if I had swung with my left, then?”

Brienne gaped at him, then said, “That’s not the point. You used your right!”

Jaime shrugged and wrapped his fingers around hers. He tugged her in closer until she was in his arms. “I might have learned to use my left hand proficiently, but my dominant is still my right.”

“Why did you fucking punch him in the first place?” she growled into his ear.

Jaime practically cackled in delight, “Did you just swear _twice_ , Brienne?”

“Make that thrice, Jaime Lannister. Answer my fucking question. What were you thinking?” she demanded.

Jaime’s arms wrapped tighter around her, “I didn’t like his tone.”

“His tone?”

“And—“ Jaime nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck, “I don’t like it when someone’s an asshole to you.”

“You can’t just go around punching everyone in King’s Landing!”

“See me try.”

“You’re so exasperating,” Brienne huffed but finally returned his stupid embrace. “Are you sure your hand is okay?” she asked more gently.

Jaime grinned and opened and closed his fist, “It’s fine, Brienne. Definitely fine enough for what we were—“

“I don’t know what the fuck you two are playing at here—“ Jaime and Brienne turned back to Red, who was only just now picking himself up off the ground, obviously still slightly dazed from the blow.

“Fucker still has all his teeth,” Jaime lamented.

“Go home, Red,” Brienne snarled. 

He seemed ready to say more, but at the looks he received from them both, Brienne saw him quiver. The man was all bark and no bite. It made Brienne want to laugh at the absurdity of it all. “You’ll pay for this, Tarth.”

Jaime jumped in, “The name is Lannister, actually, though you wouldn’t be the first one to—“

“Jaime!”

Jaime grinned at her and wiggled his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes. 

“Fuck you!” Red shouted one last time before he scampered off. 

“Think he’ll report me to the authorities?” Jaime asked.

“Considering he didn’t when I knocked his teeth out, no.”

Jaime practically glowed, “You knocked his teeth out?”

Brienne nodded. 

He grinned, “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. I need to learn to give a meaner right hook.”

“You need to put more of your body into it.” Brienne gave him a smile before she took his hand again and they turned towards home. “Do you want to know what he did?”

Jaime gave her a small smile, “Only if you want to tell me.”

Brienne let out a long breath. “I do.”

* * *

Jaime’s emotions had pinballed between angry and amused as Brienne told the story as they walked back to her house. This time, she told it to him with much more levity than she had while reciting it to Margaery and Sansa. Red was an asshole. And he had hurt her. But… truly… he didn’t matter anymore.

The person who mattered now was Jaime.

“Tell me your favourite colour, sweetheart,” Brienne murmured as she lifted his chin with the tip of her fingers. 

“Gods, wench, green,” he replied. Completely bare before her, Jaime was tied to one of her sturdy chairs, his hands behind his back. He was completely open for her taking. 

Brienne bit her lip in delight then gently slid her hand down his chest until she was on her knees between his spread legs, his hard cock pronounced in front of her face. Jaime followed her movement with his eyes and made a half-attempt to tug at his bonds. “How are you feeling there?” she asked.

“Significantly teased.”

Brienne hummed in delight. “Deserved.” She rested her cheek on one of his thighs, her mouth just an inch away from where she thought he wanted it. “What should I do first?”

“Ride me.”

Brienne tutted, “I don’t think that’s how this works, Jaime. I want to give you the _pleasure_.”

He shuddered, “Gods, but you do.”

“You’ve been so good. It would be unfair of me to finish you so soon.”

“It wouldn’t,” Jaime argued. 

Brienne smiled up at him. When they had crossed the threshold of her room, she had immediately pinned him onto her bed to his full and utter delight. Then she had undid his pants, pulled out his cock and balls, and had slipped a lube covered silicone ring over them both. It was good that she had learned to do this first, work fast, and save the rest for later, because he had hardened at her touch so very quickly. Jaime had almost been devastated when she had done little else to touch him since. Tying him up had seemed to make up for not attending to his straining cock, though. “So you mean you don’t want me to do this?” she grazed her teeth against the skin on the inside of his thigh. 

Jaime groaned. 

“Or this?” she ran her palms over the outside of Jaime’s toned thighs and built calves, massaging the muscles as her hands moved. 

“Wicked wench.”

She bit him gently on the meaty part of his inner thigh and he howled with pleasure. Her tongue laved at the red mark and Jaime shook beneath her hands. Again and again, she left more marks on his skin, painting it like canvas with love bites. Even more slowly, she slipped her fingers beneath him until the pads of them could press against his perineum. Jaime jolted at the sensation and cried out in pleasure. “You respond so well to so much, sweetheart,” Brienne murmured before she rose to her full height again. He shuddered beneath her hands.

“Reward me then.”

Brienne hummed, “I suppose I should.” She stripped off her own clothes. She didn’t try to make too much of a show of it, it wasn’t really what she was good at, but nonetheless Jaime’s eyes were riveted to her form as though he were seeing her undress for the first time. She did emphasize her long legs though, since he seemed to like those in particular.

Then… then she sat on his lap, his cock trapped between their bodies. Jaime groaned in protest, “Brienne,” he pouted as he attempted to rut into her. She held him down though, and instead tangled her hands into his hair. He hissed in pleasure as she tugged his head to the side and exposed the long tendon of his neck. 

She left love bites all along the column of it before she stood up again, her hands still in his hair. “Since you’ve been so good,” she murmured and stepped forward so that her legs were spread on either side of his. 

Jaime immediately understood what she wanted of him and eagerly leaned forward to press his mouth onto her mound. Brienne sighed in pleasure and pressed him closer to her. He had a device clutched in his left hand to tell her if the pressure was too much, but as much as she tried to push into him, he seemed to only dive deeper into her. 

Without instruction, because when had he ever needed instruction when it came to _this_ , his lips, teeth, and tongue lavished her clit and tugged at her folds. When she came suddenly on his face, his name ripped screaming from her lips, he only looked overly proud. “You do like me deep in your cunt, don’t you, wench?”

Brienne smiled at him and caressed his cheek. “Are you trying to hint at something, sweetheart?”

“Was I being too obvious?”

She lowered herself back down to her knees and he groaned in protest, “Only a little bit,” she replied before she took him into the palm of one of her hands and enveloped the tip with her mouth. Jaime shouted at the sensation as she gently, very gently, _too_ gently, sucked on and licked at the head of his cock. He was heavy and pulsing in her hand and it felt as though he was ready to burst at any moment. However, before he did, she let go of him again 

He was panting. “You really are pulling out all the stops tonight, aren’t you?”

“Hardly,” Brienne couldn’t help but grin. She took the bottle of lube and then coated his cock liberally. 

Jaime’s eyes widened as he realized he was about to get what he wanted, and he shouted her name when she sank onto him. He nearly shouted again when she planted her feet and refused to move. She liked the length of him inside her, the gentle stretch and pleasure that was both warming and burning hot. 

Instead of riding him like he so wished, she brought her hand up to his neck and gently wrapped her fingers around it and squeezed. Unlike her, he didn’t like the breath play brief, he liked it until he was dizzy with the sensation; he liked it when her palm pressed hard on his voice box. She watched his face, the way that it morphed to an expression between desire and euphoria, while also counting steadily in her head. When she reached the right number, way before his expression could turn to one of even mild distress, she released him. He rested his forehead against her shoulder and breathed in deeply but quietly. She nuzzled his temple and petted his hair. “You’re so good for me, Jaime.”

He hummed lowly, his demeanour changing. All through her time subbing, she had never entered this state. It hadn’t even been something she had been aware of until Jaime had told her about the ways he often entered it. Jaime liked to fall, liked to fall into _her_. Liked to have her wrapped all around him in more ways than one. One day, she would try to see if she could fall into the sub-space as willingly as him. Today though, he was hers to care for. 

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed all around the shell of his ear. “I’m right here, Jaime.”

“I know you are, Brienne,” he whispered so quietly that if she hadn’t known to listen, she wouldn’t have heard it. 

Warmth and pleasure surged through her at his statement and her body responded in kind. Jaime whimpered and nuzzled himself in closer to her as her walls pulsed around him. Then she began to slowly roll her hips.

The sounds that came out of Jaime’s mouth were uninhibited and obscene. She heard the device thump on the floor as he let go of it. She listened more carefully to the words he was mumbling into her skin, seeking for any sign of distress. There were none. 

Eventually, he raised his head back up again and offered her his neck. Again, she wrapped a hand around it, this time for a shorter period of time, and again he collapsed against her. 

She rode him gently until he shuddered underneath her, the sensations in his body becoming too much for the cock ring to hold back. Brienne sighed as she felt him come, the muscles of his back loosening as he turned to liquid in her hands. 

While still perched on his lap, she undid the knots that bound his hands behind him. The moment that he was free, his hands clamped down on her shoulder blades as his nose buried itself in her hair. He took in several deep breaths and she held him close until he drifted gently out of the space. Her fingers found knots in his hair, probably her doing, and picked at them, and when that was through, she ran her hands slowly up and down the broad expanse of his back.

She knew he was good when his nails started to gently scratch at her shoulders. She wiggled in his lap and Jaime chuckled into her ear. “I’m slipping out.”

“I still need to get that ring off of you.”

“Can we have a bath instead of a shower today?”

Brienne ran her fingers through his hair, “We can have whatever you want.”

“You spoil me.”

“Hardly,” Brienne murmured with amusement. 

“Alright, let’s try to contain this mess,” Jaime grinned.

Brienne casted a look of suspicion on him, “What are you—?” Her question was cut off by the event of Jaime hitching her legs around his hips, slipping his hands under her butt and then standing right up. Brienne screeched as her arms tightened around his shoulders. 

Jaime burst out in laughter as Brienne clung to him. 

“By the Seven, Jaime! I’m too heavy, we’re going to fall! I’m going to snap your dick—“

“No dick snapping,” Jaime laughed as he began to make his way to the washroom, “And I thought you had finally accepted that you aren’t even close to too heavy for me. All the time that you spend on my lap now and what not.”

Brienne glared at him, but wrapped her legs and arms tighter around him anyways. Jaime gave her ass a hard squeeze and she bit the lobe of his ear in retribution, fearing that doing much more would cause both of them to take a tumble. 

They reached the washroom just as Jaime slipped out of Brienne and she stumbled into the shower to take care of the mess while Jaime quickly slid off the cock ring and then turned on the tub. “Ten squirts of bubble bath right?”

“Two!” Brienne shouted. Jaime squirted in five dollops, before Brienne was able to climb out of the shower and stop him. “This is why we’re always drowning in bubbles, Jaime!” 

He simply grinned all too happily at her, then accepted the warm, damp washcloth she held out to him and cleaned up. After, she climbed into the bathtub first and then he climbed in after her, slotting perfectly into her embrace. She took his right hand and gently cleaned the still abused knuckles. 

“Did it feel strange?” Brienne asked. 

Jaime made a confused albeit contented noise, “What feels strange? You’ve done all those things to me before… though not quite to such a devastating effect.”

Brienne flushed slightly, “No, that’s not what I meant. I meant, did it feel strange to go from clocking a guy nearly unconscious to… well…”

Jaime shifted in her arms. “Didn’t feel strange at all. I don’t see how knocking an ass off his feet has anything to do with getting fucked to the point of delirious pleasure. Though, now that you mention it, I do wish I had gotten in a second swing.”

Brienne snorted in amusement. “Of course you did.”

“He should be happy that I didn’t know the story before I met him. Seven save him if I ever run into him again, though.”

“You’re not going to… seek him out or anything, are you?”

Jaime scoffed as he turned off the taps, “As you said, not worth it. Just… if he ever happens to come by or something.”

Brienne laughed, “Seven save him if he tries to hire you as his interior designer.”

“Oh… maybe I can make his house super ugly and convince him it is the height of fashion. That would be sweet revenge, too.”

“You’re ridiculous, Jaime,” Brienne grinned. And then she thought of something. She wrapped her arms around him and held him closer to her. “And you’re everything.”

Jaime shuddered against her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:
> 
> “Ten squirts of bubble bath right?” --> I WANTED TO SCREAM
> 
> Jaime squirted in five dollops. --> This man fears no gods


	26. Brienne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing. 
> 
> This chapter was hell but I have managed to wrestle it into something that I actively love. You'll see.

The kettle turned off with a click and Jaime waited a minute or two for the water to cool down from boiling. A moan echoed from Brienne’s living room and Jaime couldn’t help the fond smile that appeared on his face at the sound. He fiddled with the cap of the hot water bottle in his hands and continued to listen for any sounds, his smile growing bigger and bigger as Brienne’s protests to the ether became more frequent. Once a couple minutes had passed, he poured the water then sealed the bottle. Waiting for the warmth to infuse through the rubber and the thick, knitted cover, Jaime made sure that it wasn’t scalding hot, while still being much hotter than he would have tolerated. Once he was satisfied that she would be satisfied, he made his way back to Brienne.

“Don’t come near me, don’t even look at me,” she moaned and then popped her head out of the pile of blankets she was under, “Unless it’s ready?”

Jaime held up the said object with a flourish and Brienne’s hands too popped out of the mound of blankets to make adorable grabbing motions at him. He acquiesced to her demand even though she clearly could have gotten the point across clearer with words. The moment he was within reach, Brienne swiped the hot water bottle from him and all of her disappeared back under the blankets. He thought he heard her whisper a relieved, “Salvation.” 

“Do you want anything else? I can make you tea or grab you some painkillers.”

“No,” Brienne said, loud enough for him to hear then paused. Her next words came with some apprehension, “Experience tells me that I’m going to be like this all day. I’ll be pretty stolid company. You don’t have to stay.”

Jaime swallowed down his urge to just crawl under the blankets with her and hold her, even if he didn’t think he could do anything to take away her pain. How could she think that he wouldn’t want to stay? Given a choice, he would always choose to stay. “What if I said I wanted to? Would I be allowed to sit on the other side of the couch as long as I didn’t look at you?” he teased, trying to add levity to every word.

The pile of blankets wiggled, “As long as you’re on the other side of the couch,” she replied. He could hear the smile on her lips. 

Jaime sat down as far as he could away from the lump that was Brienne, for the fun of it, but it wasn’t a big couch. He reached out to place the tips of his fingers on the edge of the pile. “Is it always this bad?” he asked

The pile of blankets tipped towards him slightly and a hand emerged from below to grab onto his. His fingers curled around hers and he wondered how she knew that he was there. But Brienne always knew when he needed her. She just couldn’t know that he also  _ wanted _ her. “No,” Brienne murmured emphatically, “But when the cramps want to make themselves known, they bring in the battering rams.”

Jaime nodded as Brienne used their connection as leverage to fully tip over. And then suddenly her head was back out of the blankets again, and she was resting it on his lap, curled around her hot water bottle and his arm like a particularly big shrimp. She looked up at him with her bright blue eyes, “Sorry.”

His other hand went to smooth through her hair, “I don’t know why you’re sorry.”

Brienne frowned and pressed her cheek into his hand, “This girly stuff must make you uncomfortable.”

Jaime gave her a look. “Brienne. I’m a grown man. I can handle the fact that you, and many other people, menstruate.”

He watched as her cheeks flushed the barest of pink. Jaime gently brushed his thumb over the apple of her cheek, across the splashes of freckles. The expression on her face told him she was mulling over her thoughts. She was like that, careful and considerate about the things she said. 

Usually. 

Jaime wanted to grin as he recalled the way that  _ some _ things, the most  _ interesting _ of things seemed to charge right past her filter. Those were memories he would hold dear, probably forever. Like Brienne shouting at him about her “pretty good rabbit” as the sun shone down on her, reflecting in her hair and giving her an ethereal quality, the waters of Blackwater Bay nothing in comparison to her eyes.

Jaime knew he barely had a filter, his thoughts merrily making the absurdly short and unobstructed distance between his brain and his mouth when he was happy. Well, except for one thought. He was pretty proud of the fact that he had been able to keep that one thing under wraps – except for one near miss – though with every moment of every day it came closer to simply bursting from his lips. 

He didn’t know when it had started. Not really. He knew it had been before they had switched, before they had started working together on the Baratheon Estates. He knew that he had fully acknowledged it when he had told her about Cersei, but he also knew that his feelings for her had been there long before that. 

Had it been when she had told him about Hyle Cunt? No. Had it been the first time they had had a scene? Certainly not, that would be too garish… and already then… well…

Hindsight painted him the fool. His therapist didn’t agree, but he certainly thought so. Looking back he knew that he had already  _ felt  _ for her when she had walked into the Book Wyrm, and had been  _ hurt _ when she had deemed that it couldn’t work between them. And if it was about  _ feelings  _ for her… well… it would have had to be when she had confessed to him that she considered herself ugly. 

Jaime’s fingers traced over her features: the crooked ridge of her nose, the square of her jaw, and the fullness of her lips. 

She kissed his thumb tenderly. 

He wasn’t ignorant, couldn’t be dismissive of the privileges he had just because he was considered good looking to the public eye. He could see how her looks weren’t in line with the standards of beauty and how that would have affected her life. But just because she wasn’t beautiful, didn’t mean that she wasn’t precious… wasn’t…

Loved.

Jaime leaned down and kissed her on her forehead. Brienne blinked her big blue eyes at him in surprise. “What was that for?”

“For your cramps,” he replied airily. 

Her smile twisted into a pout and he couldn’t help but lean down again and kiss her there, too. She responded by wrapping her arms around his shoulders; her fingers pressed into the nape of his neck, and he sighed blissfully into the kiss. He held her hot water bottle to her abdomen for her while she held him.

Jaime only wished that Brienne wanted more too.

* * *

Brienne touched his arm, the tips of her fingers warm as they brushed down the length of it to his elbow. “I’ll be right back,” she said with a smile, her eyes sparkling effervescent in the candlelight before she stood up and made her way towards the washroom. Jaime watched her leave, noting the gentle, almost intangible sway of her hips, and only when she was out of sight did he turn back towards their dinner companions.

To say that Tyrion and Tysha were giving him deadpanned looks of both disbelief and disappointment would be putting it much too lightly. “What?” Jaime snapped even though he knew exactly  _ what _ . 

“You two are really not together.” It wasn’t a question. It was never a question. It was a statement. A judgment. 

Jaime wanted to scream. But it would only make Tyrion call him a drama llama again. Instead, he picked at his trout. It was really very good; it was just that his brother was being poor, judgemental company. “No. We aren’t.” Even he could hear the disappointment in his own voice. Tyrion shook his head meaningfully and looked over at Tysha. The conversation that passed between them with only looks was so loud it made Jaime’s head hurt. “I told you already—“

“I don’t believe it,” Tyrion said definitively. 

Jaime gripped his fork. “Well, you should believe it. It’s what she told me.”

“With her words?” Tysha clarified. She waved her hand around, “You didn’t just… surmise it?”

“Written text. I have it on my phone.” He looked at the conversation often, so often that he had taken a screenshot of it. To remind himself. It wasn’t just about him.

“Show me the proof,” Tyrion said and held out his hand, wiggling his fingers. It was not endearing. 

Jaime growled, “I am not showing you a private conversation between Brienne and I.”

Tysha raised an eyebrow. Tyrion raised the opposite eyebrow. It was a classic technique, both of them teaming up on him like this. He should have known he should have followed Brienne to the washroom even if Tyrion would have immediately and incorrectly assumed they were fucking in a stall. 

Tysha leaned towards him, “It’s suspicious that you aren’t showing us the one piece of evidence that supports what you’ve been telling us all this time is true.”

“Be suspicious all you want,” Jaime hissed, “It’s what Brienne told me and I’m going to respect her wishes.”

Tysha’s eyes narrowed, “How long ago did she tell you this, Jaime?”

It was a question they had never asked before. And like sharks, both of them smelled out the blood of his slight hesitation. 

Luckily, it was that moment that Brienne chose to return. Jaime shot them both a look as she slid back into her seat. “Sorry about that, what were we talking about?” Brienne’s hand came to rest on his knee.

“Well, actually,” Tysha began in a tone that Jaime knew meant trouble. Trouble for him. He was in trouble. “We were just talking about relationships.”

Jaime had to almost literally prevent his jaw from dropping to the floor.  _ She wouldn’t _ . But she  _ would _ . Tysha had sworn to him that she would pull no stops after what had happened between her and him all those years ago, and he had foolishly accepted that consequence to his actions, not knowing that one day Brienne would come into his life. 

_ The fates have it out for me _ . Jaime thought dramatically.  _ Everything has led to this moment _ .

“What about relationships?” Brienne asked with a tilt of her head. 

Tyrion continued, “Well, we were wondering if you were interested in a romantic relationship.”

Brienne gaped. Jaime was ready to kick Tyrion’s seat right out from under him, the fact that he loved him be damned. “Well… I… um…”

Tysha, as always, went right for the heart of things. “Jaime tells us that you  _ aren’t _ interested.”

“What?” Brienne questioned in absolute bewilderment.

“What?” Jaime echoed at her unexpected response.

Brienne turned towards him, “Where did you get that?” she blurted, her nose crinkled in confusion. And then seemed to realize what she had said and slapped her hands over her mouth. 

“You…” Jaime swallowed as his eyes traced across her face, over every precious feature, “You told me.”

“When?” her voice was soft now.

“When we first started um… messaging each other,” Jaime muttered. He pulled out his phone and discreetly showed her the screenshot of the conversation. 

_ BlueKnight: I mean, I wouldn’t be able to build enough trust just meeting up with them for scenes _

_ BlueKnight: You know? _

_ BlueKnight: But don’t get me wrong! _

_ BlueKnight: I’m not looking for something romantic either _

It was when they had only known each other as Goldenhand and Blue Knight. It had been so long ago.

“Oh…” Brienne murmured, her tone telling him that the way she felt had changed since then.

It felt like cold water was trickling down his spine. Cold water and a blazing heat deep within his belly. Jaime steeled himself, “Does this mean you  _ are _ looking for a romantic relationship?” 

She opened her mouth then closed it. And then opened it again. And then bit her bottom lip. She was mulling over her thoughts. 

Then, Brienne withdrew her hand from his knee. He wanted to grab onto it, to hold on. But he stopped himself. He stopped himself and kept his eyes on her. Just on her. The whole world could have faded away and he would not have known.

She looked up at him through her eyelashes, almost silver in the light. “Jaime,” she took a deep breath, “I… I’m not looking for a romantic relationship right now…”

He felt his heart drop.

Brienne took another deep breath and suddenly her hand was back on his knee. Not like before. It was a softer touch, a hesitant touch, as though she didn’t think she belonged there. But that was absurd. He felt her shudder and then she continued. Gods, she  _ continued, _ “Not unless it’s with you.”

Jaime slammed his hand down on the table and shot to hit feet, nearly toppling his dinner right off the table. “We need to go.”

Brienne stared up at him in shock. “What?” He could see the flurry of emotions she was feeling and he wanted to stop every negative emotion in its tracks. But first…

“I am  _ not _ going to do this in front of—” Brienne’s eyes widened and he looked emphatically at his brother and his sister-in-law, “Not with  _ them _ here. Fucking assholes, I can’t believe you two were right.”

The shit eating grins they had on their faces could not be dissuaded. He knew that he would  _ never _ fucking hear the end of this. 

Although, still utterly confused, Brienne got to her feet too and took the hand that Jaime held out to her. The trust in that action, the sheer enormity of it threatened to shatter him. 

Brienne tried to say her goodbyes to the couple who clearly looked ready to spread the word of their success, because  _ fuck, they were right _ , but he tugged her with him, away, until they were outside. 

Outside in the chill of the evening air. Outside where pesky little brothers and their pesky wives couldn’t hear them. Outside where he could turn to Brienne, take her hands and carefully rotate her ring – the ring that matched his – rotate it until the bear disappeared and then reappeared again, around her long  _ ring _ finger. 

_ Fuck. _ He was such a fool.

“Jaime?” she asked softly, so softly. Questioning,  _ hopeful _ , expectant.

Both of their rings glowed. 

He didn’t know if she knew she was touching his too. 

But that didn’t matter.

She would know soon enough.

He leaned in and kissed her. Felt her lips move against his own. Jaime pulled away just slightly, so that his forehead still rested against hers. He twined their fingers together.

Jaime’s heart was racing; a cacophony of sounds was rushing through his ears. She had been brave. She was always the one who was brave. 

He could be brave.

“I love you.”

Her hands tightened around his. She didn’t jerk away from him. She didn’t let go. She just held him tighter as she regarded him. He could see tears welling up, pooling around her silver eyelashes. And he knew. Knew they weren’t sad tears. Knew because tears were gathering in his eyes too.

“Jaime…”

He knew his voice was hoarse now, choked, but he had to continue. Had to make sure that she knew, now that he knew that she wanted it. His heart. “I have loved you for a long time.”

_ It’s yours _ . He wanted to shout, but he could do it more elegantly than that. 

Brienne opened her mouth again.

“And I would have told you, every morning, every evening, every moment of every day if I thought that you wanted me to,” he continued, “Brienne, please tell me again. Please say it again.”

Her other hand reached up to cup his cheek. He pressed into the wide palm. “How could you think I wouldn’t want you?” she whispered.

“Say it again.”

A tear escaped, carved a trail down her cheek, but the most wondrous words poured from her lips, “Not unless it’s you.”

* * *

It was slow and languorous. Utterly unplanned. Completely them. So different. And yet… not so different at all. 

* * *

He held her. She held him. They held each other.

He breathed her in. Just breathed her in, every heartbeat counting up the moments, the moments that…

He was hers.

And she was his.

The cab arrived to drive them back to his place. They sat in the back, holding hands, just smiling at each other. Small smiles, big smiles, smiles that melted into laughter as they leaned into each other. Supported each other.

They were home before long and Jaime practically threw his front door open.

Brienne laughed, and it was musical. She swept into him, up against him, curled herself around him as she shoved him against the wall. Her lips brushed the shell of his ear. “I love you.”

What was happiness compared to this? Compared to the vibrancy of  _ this.  _

His arms brushed against her shoulders. “I love you.”

Her fingers touched his jaw. “I love you.”

His hands tangled in her hair. “I love you.”

Their lips touched. 

Jaime reached to try and wrestle off her coat just as she tried to tug off his. They laughed again and took off their own before they both tossed them to the floor. Tomorrow. The day after. They had all the days in the world to pick them up later. 

“You thought I didn’t want you,” Brienne murmured, her lips brushing against the corner of his mouth, her fingers undoing the buttons of his dress shirt.

“What stopped you?” he sighed while tugging down her pants. She stepped out of them.

She breathed. “I was afraid.”

His fingers crawled beneath the hem of her shirt. “Afraid?”

“That you didn’t want me,” Brienne said, pushing his shirt off his shoulders, down his arms, “I couldn’t lose you.”

Jaime understood. “I couldn’t lose you too. But you believed me.”

“Believed you?”

“When I said I loved you.”

Brienne smiled, “I trust you.”

His heart stuttered. His hands went to the small of her back and he pulled her closer, pressed her against him. Their legs tangled. He could feel her pulling at his belt loops. “I trust you too.”

They stumbled up the stairs, and into his bedroom. Brienne sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed his stomach while his fingers traced the shells of her ears. Her lovely ears. Her hands deftly undid his belt and pulled his pants and boxers down.

Jaime knelt before her, pulled her underwear down her legs and tossed them to the side. He brushed his nose against the soft, freckled skin of her inner thigh. She gasped and giggled at the sensation. He rubbed his beard against her to hear more. Her fingers tangled in his hair and he lifted her knees over his shoulders. 

His fingers gently spread her, the soft folds.

This was his place of worship. 

He put his mouth on her, heard her sigh, felt her open up to him. He swept his tongue against her, along every inch of her, around and on her. Brienne curled around him, her arms wrapping around his head. He delved in, felt the wet against his lips, the slick gathering and pooling on his tongue. He would never get tired of the taste of her. 

More, more, more. He would always want more.

Jaime felt her shudder and suddenly her arms released him and she fell back on the bed, her back arching as her cries of pleasure echoing around his room. He looked up the length of her and berated himself for not getting her shirt off before he kneeled before her. But as though she was able to read his thoughts, Brienne reached up to undo her buttons, and swept her shirt open. His lips curled against her clit indulgently as their gazes met. 

Her blush was high on her cheeks, just slightly more flushed than the rest of her face. He grazed his teeth against her clit to see her squirm and she squeaked in pleasure as his fingers replaced his tongue and moved and curled inside of her. She fluttered around him and her thighs clamped down on his ears. He chuckled and she scowled. He pressed the tips of his fingers deeper into her and moved them just a little. Her scowl dissolved as she came again. 

Licking his lips, Jaime gently pushed her knees off his shoulders and crawled up her body. She welcomed him with open arms and he lay his body on hers, aligning them from their lips to their toes. 

“Jaime,” she murmured into the kiss. He could hear the reverence in his name.

“Brienne,” his raison d’être in hers.

They broke apart and he rested his forehead against hers. His eyes fluttered closed and he felt her eyelashes brush against his cheeks as hers did too. For a moment, another moment, another in a series of an infinite number of moments, they breathed each other in.

Then they moved together. He slid into her as she wrapped around him. Warm. He was so warm. 

Eyes wide open, they moved together, wrapped around each other. It was implicit in the act. They weren’t just entwining their bodies any longer. They were entwining their lives. 

He wanted her for the rest of his life.

And he could trust that she wanted him too. 

He could  _ trust  _ that. 

Their souls collided and it wasn’t an array of sparks, it wasn’t the bright light of a supernova. No, it was a steady building glow that encapsulated them both. They welcomed it as feeling,  _ everything _ built around them.

Brienne flipped him over and straddled his hips, rolled over him, took all of him as he took all of her.

He pushed himself first onto his elbows, and her hands came to help him, came to gather him, came to bring him to her. Then his face was in the crook of her neck and his hands were buried in her hair, their hearts pressed together, beating as one.

They felt each other, bone deep, and then dissolved into the ether.

* * *

He didn’t know if it was the morning sun or the new revelation, but waking up in her arms, with her in his arms, made the world seem to glow. Jaime snuggled in closer to Brienne and heard her snuffle in her sleep. She wouldn’t be awake for a little while yet, so he took the time to go over his thoughts and look over the events of the past day.

He must have let his thoughts wander, because suddenly lips were chastely brushing against his. “You’re in your own little world, aren’t you?” Brienne murmured, her voice still heavy with sleep, but her eyes clear as she smiled at him. Her fingers traced his collarbone.

“I am. I’m thinking about yesterday. The day before… Perhaps I’ve been going through every day since you first messaged me.”

Brienne’s face twisted and he watched as she too began to fade away to her thoughts. He smiled and let her have the time, and simply enjoyed the expressions that played over her features. He entertained himself by making guesses on what memories were crossing her mind with only her expressions to guide him.

Suddenly, her forehead produced an oddly severe furrow. 

“What are you thinking?” Jaime asked and pressed his lips to the crooked bridge of her nose.

Brienne’s face relaxed and she sighed, “I’m wondering what’s going to change.”

“Nothing has to change.”

“That’s exactly it,” she sighed again.

Jaime quirked an eyebrow, “And this is troubling you, why?”

“Because Galpal, and Margaery, and even Sansa are going to be  _ so _ annoying about it. Just  _ so _ annoying.”

Jaime grimaced. All thoughts of Tyrion and Tysha’s gloating had completely fled his mind. He wondered if Addam already knew now too. “They are all going to be the worst, aren’t they?”

“What if…” Brienne looked at him through her eyelashes, her blues big and conspiratorial, “We don’t tell them?”

Jaime blinked a couple times and then a huge grin spread over his face, “Brienne! You devious wench! But Tyrion and Tysha were there to witness it.”

“They didn’t actually witness  _ it _ . I mean, they all already think we’re idiots, why not… not confirm their… Well I can’t say suspicions when they were absolutely right. But you know what I mean.”

“So we should ham it up even more?” he grinned.

Brienne gave him a teasing smile, “An opportunity to release your inner drama llama.”

He guffawed and held her tighter. He rubbed his cheek against her cheek in delight. “How is it possible that I can love you more?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how well I will be able to hold up to a weekly update schedule, but I'll do my best!
> 
> Yes... France exists in this world... it's west of Westeros... Arya is in France.


	27. Winterfell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing

Brienne smiled serenely.

Margaery also smiled, though her expression was much less restrained. Brienne tried not to let her expression morph into that of a delighted grin at the near imperceptible twitch that she could see at the corner of her eye.

Sansa looked between them with some apprehension.

“I can do this all day, Brienne,” Margaery chirped, her voice at the edge of hysteria, “I have nowhere I need to be.” 

“Do what?” Brienne asked, channelling her past self. Her ridiculous prior self. Truly though. How the hell had it taken her and Jaime _this_ long to figure themselves out?

After the morning after, it had been the day after. And the day after had been spectacular. Spectacular and _utterly_ mundane. Mundane meaning that, as she had conjectured, nothing between them had really changed. Cooking breakfast after eventually crawling out of bed hadn’t been some romantic, sweet affair… because they frequently cooked breakfast for each other already and it was always sweet that Jaime put in the effort to make her a full breakfast every time she stayed. Spending time with each other for the rest of the day hadn’t been some anxious morning after decision they had made, it had been something they often did. They couldn’t be _more_ all over each other, it was embarrassing to realize, because they were already all over each other. Touches, hugs, kisses. There _couldn’t_ be more.

What had changed had been the hilarity, the sudden unbidden mirth as they had gone through their day with the realization that they had been so grossly obtuse. It was amusement at the realization of what their friends had been seeing, of why they had thought the things they had thought. Of why Galladon had met the two of them and had instantly decided they had been married. Of why Jaime’s therapist always seemed to pull a face at him when he had insisted that Brienne wasn’t looking for something more and why her therapist was so insistent on working on Brienne’s ability to simply articulate _exactly_ what she wanted. 

Though Brienne supposed one other thing had changed as well. 

Much less confined by the planned nature of their scenes, Jaime had been inside her more. A lot more. 

Most of the time it was because they were having sex, some of their less involved toys joining the fray as they nearly broke his sofa, did break one of her chairs, and argued about what constituted a table while defiling many a flat surface. 

But a lot of the time, it was when they were just relaxing, like when they were just on the cusp of sleep or when they had been watching a movie the previous night, and she had wanted him as close as he could be. In the past, sometimes he had gotten hard without being able to actually perform, and they had just left his condition well enough alone, but now that was a physical state that could be used to simply up the closeness of their cuddling. Sometimes they would move against each other, his chest plastered against her back, but it hadn’t become a means to an end, just a quick act of rolling hips for some brief pleasure, for some sort of physical reassurance, before they settled back to stillness and just the moment. Though she supposed they _had_ capped off one of their times on his futon with a good slow pleasurable romp where she had ridden him until he had begged her to let him come, before they had crawled back into his bed together to sleep tangled up for the night.

Brienne pulled herself out of her recollection before she could cycle to waking up with him again this morning. More than before, he would sneak into her thoughts and take them for a wander.

Somehow, she loved Jaime more today than yesterday.

But she batted the memory of morning sun and soft kisses away before it could show on her face. Right now… well she still knew she loved him. She just wasn’t supposed to understand to the marrow of her bones that he loved her back. 

Margaery’s nails tapped on the surface of their café table, “Tyrion texted us all the other evening. You can’t hide from this, Brie.”

“I don’t understand what you mean,” Brienne continued. 

Sansa, ever the person who didn’t need the drama and who was too eager to wait for Margaery to pull the truth out of Brienne, simply clapped excitedly, “You finally told him you loved him!” she cooed, with stars in her eyes, “You have to tell us _everything_.”

Brienne immediately brought to mind the image of Galladon successfully flirting so that she could look rightfully appalled. “Tell him I love him?” Brienne said with probably a little bit too much astonishment in her voice. “I couldn’t…” she breathed in to swallow her giggles, “Ever.”

Both of her friends looked at her with deadpanned expressions. Expressions that were subtly turning into looks of disbelief and maybe even… horror? “You didn’t tell him you loved him? But Tyrion said—“

Brienne tried not to look too shocked, though this time it was genuine. Did they actually believe her? She wasn’t very good at acting and Jaime had cackled fondly while she had practiced feigning perturbation with him over their eggs that morning. If her face did look anything like the expressions Jaime had mirrored back to her to show her what she had looked like, she wouldn’t have believed herself either. Jaime had betted that she wouldn’t be able to hold up her own devious plot. And although she had taken him up on the bet with little to no hope at meeting the challenge, now she thought she had a chance. 

Brienne ignored the fact that the only possible way that her friends could even think she was serious was probably because something this obvious had happened before and she had been _this_ obtuse about it. 

“I mean, I did tell Jaime I wanted more romance, so… we decided to be more romantic,” Brienne said feigning morose, “And he agreed…” Brienne tried to smile sadly, “To have a more romantic friendship.”

“A-a romantic _friendship_ ,” Margaery repeated.

Brienne nodded, “Friendship.”

Sansa’s forehead dropped to the table, “By the Seven… I cannot believe—“

“How did you know I was in love with him?” Brienne asked quietly. It was a question to redirect the conversation, but also… she didn’t actually know, because she hadn’t exactly told them. By the expressions on both of their faces, _this_ was the thing she had been horribly obtuse about. Had they known she loved him before she realized she had loved him?

Margaery reached out and grabbed one of her hands while Sansa reached out for the other. “We’re your friends Brienne,” Sansa said sweetly.

“We want to know and care for your heart.”

“Even when you don’t know how to care for it yourself.”

Brienne flushed as affection for her friends surged through her and threatened to overwhelm her with the knowledge that she had people in her life who _knew_ her, _saw_ her, even when she couldn’t see herself. She punctuated her reply with levity, even though her voice was heavy with emotion, “That obvious, huh?”

Margaery’s head dropped and Sansa flickered her eyes to the sky as though she was praying to the Seven. “So obvious,” they both intoned. 

* * *

Jaime had tears in his eyes as he recounted his day to her while in her lap, straddling her. They had just had dinner, this time at her place. “You should have seen Tyrion’s face,” he said, his voice breaking over his giggles, “When I told him,” Jaime wheezed, “That you’d agreed to have more romance in our _friendship_ . He _yelled,_ Brienne. He just stood there in my office and started screaming. Scared the living daylights out of Pia, the poor girl.”

Brienne grinned as her fingers idly tapped against his hips, “Don’t you think it’s disconcerting that our friends are believing all of this so easily.”

Jaime burst into a full, deep laughter and rested his forehead against hers, “It’s _so_ disconcerting. Fucking hells. We can’t have dinner with them for a while. I have a feeling Tysha will try and murder me.”

“We can’t let that happen,” Brienne teased, “I quite enjoy your _friendship_ after all.”

Jaime surged forward to kiss her, mirth on his lips as their bodies moved to press together. When he pulled away, she could see that his eyes were sparkling, “Gods, I love you.”

The words must have been exchanged between the two of them at least a hundred times now since the first, but they would never get old. 

Brienne wrapped her arms around Jaime’s back and pulled him back in for another kiss. Just as his fingers slipped under the hem of her shirt, her phone began to ring. She tried to ignore it as her blunt nails scratched at Jaime’s shoulder blades, causing him to rumble in pleasure. When she pressed open mouthed kisses to his jaw, she felt him shiver beneath her palms. Her phone stopped ringing. Brienne hummed happily. 

And then it started again.

Jaime smirked at her as he settled his hands on her waist. His eyes flickered to her vibrating phone. The one that wouldn’t be ignored. “I’m going to make a wild guess.”

Brienne’s nose wrinkled as she reached for the screaming device, “Damn it!” She smashed the accept call button without another thought. 

Galladon’s face appeared on screen, “Cheesy!” he grinned then seemed to recoil in surprise, “And Jaime,” His face pressed closer to the screen as though that would somehow give him a better look, his eyes narrowing, “Are you on my sister’s lap?”

Jaime looked down dramatically, as though he was surprised to find himself where Galladon said that he was, although he was the one that had literally crawled there earlier. “Looks like I am.”

Brienne tilted her head, “What of it?” she asked, her voice oddly squeaky as she tried to play clueless. Jaime pinched her side and she swatted at his hand.

“By the gods, somehow it’s gotten worse,” Galladon muttered and then addressed them, “Guess I don’t have to ask how the whole ‘friends with benefits’ thing is going.”

Brienne had to flick her phone up for a moment so that Galladon didn’t see her purse her lips so hard she was practically swallowing them, in order not to guffaw. Jaime meanwhile decided that draping himself over Brienne was the logical next step in his hamming. 

“What’s up, Galpal?” Brienne asked as soon as she had recovered enough to not completely give away the game.

Galladon’s eye twitched as he watched Jaime nuzzle into the crook of her neck. She pinched Jaime’s butt with the purpose of reprimanding him, but it was really a terrible idea because it resulted in him thrusting his hips into her abdomen in his surprise and she could feel how much he liked being all over her. Brienne, meanwhile, was extremely disconcerted with how much she liked having Jaime’s half hard cock pressed against her while she was preoccupied. 

Her thoughts immediately made a leap to wondering if she would be able to sneak Jaime under her office desk during a meeting with a client one day. _That_ would actually have to stay in her fantasies. Though… having him under her desk _after_ hours was still something worth considering. Like with many of her fantasies, she liked to play with the _idea_ of exhibitionism. “Just wanted to let you know that dad, the twins, and I are coming to King’s Landing next month.”

Brienne blinked then horror swept over her. Had she actually just fallen into a sexual fantasy while talking to her _brother_ ? Her libido _withered_. “That’s great!” she choked out and gently rolled Jaime off of her and stood up to pace around her living room. He raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t comment. “I haven’t seen dad, Alys, and Ari in months! But why?”

Galladon grinned, “Well, for one, he wants to meet his son-in-law.”

“Get in a bin, Gal.”

Her brother’s laughter was familiar and both comforting and irritating as fuck. 

Brienne’s eyes narrowed, “What have you been telling, Dad?”

Galladon grinned obnoxiously, “Only the truth.”

“I call bullshit!”

“Language,” Jaime gasped with a tease at the exact same time Galladon said the same. Brienne grabbed a cushion from her armchair and threw it at him. Jaime caught it and just snuggled it. The bastard. Not being able to chuck something, probably something much harder, at her brother, she just stuck out her tongue. 

“Mature, Brie. Anyways,” Galladon shot her a smirk, “Just wanted to let you know so that dad doesn’t meet Jaime the way I nearly met Jaime.”

Brienne’s face flamed as Jaime buried his face into the cushion to muffle his laughter. “Gods! I’m hanging up on you!” With that she tapped her screen and threw her phone onto the couch. Brienne put her face in her hands, “I can’t believe him!”

“I mean… I would prefer to meet your dad in better circumstances too,” Jaime grinned. Brienne shot him a glare, though both of them had a point. “Now tell me why it is that you’ve wandered over there,” Jaime cooed as he set the cushion aside and opened his arms to her.

Semi-petulantly Brienne settled on his lap, and Jaime seemed to delight that she no longer hesitated to do so. She almost wanted to ask him if she was too heavy for the fun of it, but didn’t. “Sorry, I just started…” She blushed but continued, “conjuring some fantasies about you while I was talking to my brother,” Brienne muttered with a bit of a wince while playing with the ends of Jaime’s golden hair. Jaime grimaced in sympathy. “No one should _ever_ get horny while talking to my stinky older brother,” Brienne lamented, “though telling Margaery that still didn’t seem to deter her.” She frowned at the thought of them meeting up _again_ when Galldon came back to King’s Landing. It was _fine_ , but also… it was not fine. It was stupid Galpal that her friend was having a “wet and wild time” with. Brienne grimaced at the thought of walking in on them the way Galladon had walked in on her. Admittedly, she would have taken it with much less grace. She was barely taking Margaery calling her Brie with grace.

It was then that her couch began to sputter and gag. Brienne’s head snapped towards her discarded phone, lying face down. So innocuous. Such betrayal. “DID YOU ACTUALLY TELL MARGAERY THAT I STINK?”

Brienne’s eyes widened as her thoughts raced over the things that she had just _said_ . She turned crimson and demanded to the man before her who was only just, _just,_ holding his laughter in, “Jaime, kill me now.”

“AND SEVEN, TMI, CHEESE! I did _not_ need to know that you were fantasizing about dick while talking to me.” It was clear from Galladon’s tone that he felt like he had hit the jackpot despite his words.

“Just end me,” Brienne whimpered.

Jaime picked up the discarded phone and grinned at Galladon’s half horrified, half delighted face, “Take pity on your sister. She can’t even hang up a phone properly.” Brienne whacked him on the arm and then made a bid to hide her face from the phone camera as Jaime snickered. She could feel that her face was on fire.

“Do you think that she’d ever do the same?” Galladon asked with much too big of a grin.

Jaime snorted and patted Brienne on the back as she semi-silently agonized, burrowing her face deeper into his shoulder as though that could help her disappear, “No, but it was worth a try.”

Galladon cackled. “This is so much better than the novels.”

Jaime snorted in amusement as Brienne made another horrified noise, “See you next month.”

“Fully clothed too, I hope.”

Jaime grinned, “We’ll do our best, but no promises.” Jaime mashed the red button and made sure the call was actually disconnected before he tossed Brienne’s phone aside. Then cupped Brienne’s ass. “Alive?”

“No…” Brienne murmured.

Jaime grinned and kissed her on the crown of her head, “Now tell me about these fantasies of yours.”

* * *

_The Idiot ♥️: Arthur is giving us early access to early access tickets to the new exhibit at the Red Keep_

_The Idiot ♥️: How’s that for a first date? <3 <3 <3 _

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: SERIOUSLY???_

_The Idiot ♥️: Tell me how much you love me <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 _

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: You’re alright_

_The Idiot ♥️: </3 _

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: Love you_

_Brienne Arwyn Tarth: <3 _

_The Idiot ♥️: You really know how to make a day_

_The Idiot ♥️: See you after work <3 <3 <3 _

Brienne couldn’t help but squeal in excitement as she held her phone to her chest. Jaime had gotten them early access to the new _Tarth_ exhibit. She had already planned to go there a couple times, several times by herself, several times with Jaime, if he was interested in going more than once, but _early access_ with _no crowd around_? It was a dream come true. 

But before the dream she had to work. Brienne stuck her phone in her desk drawer so that she wouldn’t be distracted. Today was meant to be a big work day. Her current project was almost finished and it was time to start looking at another. “Podrick, are you ready with the files?” Brienne called out.

Podrick was in her office the next moment, clutching his tablet. “Ready, Ms. Brienne.”

Brienne’s eye twitched a little and Podrick gave her an impish grin. She shook her head minutely, she _would_ get him to call her just Brienne one day, and gestured for him to sit. He did, pulling the chair close to her desk. “How many inquiries do we have for our next round?”

“We have four which fully meet our requirements,” Podrick answered and called up the files titled: Merryweather, Mormont, Blackfyre, and Frey.

“Four!”

Podrick nodded in excitement.

One by one they went through the files and discussed what each of the different clients wanted with their contract and if Brienne thought that she would be able to carry the project out to their full extent. The architectural styles that the Merryweather client was looking for weren’t to Brienne’s strengths, but she had an idea of which other firm she could recommend to that client. After more careful examination, the scope of the Frey development was far beyond her capabilities, and it was clear that Mr. Walder Frey had written his application in a way to try and deceive her.

Blackfyre and Mormont though, both of those contracts were certainly to her liking and didn’t seem to have any problems. Ideas were already forming in her head, creating space, building up. Her mind’s eye was wide with the possibilities for both of the contracts. It would be so hard to choose between the two.

Brienne bit her lip as she scanned through the notes that she and Podrick had just made. Was it time to finally increase the capacity of Evenstar Architects? To take a risk? She looked over at her assistant, who was methodically compiling companies that would fit within the technical constraints and the budgets of both projects, and remembered what it had been like to work with him only two projects ago. Podrick had already grown so much in that short space of time… and so had she. She couldn’t wait to see what more the future would bring for the both of them… starting now. “How do you feel about taking both of them on at once? Do you think we can handle it?”

Podrick looked up at her with an encouraging grin, “I think we can, Ms. Brienne.”

A moment passed between them. 

Soon enough Evenstar Architects’ team would expand. Brienne would hire another architect, they would need more assistance, and a framework of supervision would probably have to be eventually established. But for now it was just the two of them. And for now it was perfect. 

Podrick waved his tablet again with a knowing look on his face, “Looking at both the budgets and the notes, I believe that I have already found the perfect interior designer for them both.”

Brienne beamed. 

* * *

“Stop staring, you’re going to scandalize someone,” Brienne murmured, amusement clear as she watched Jaime’s gaze slowly meander down the length of her legs.

Jaime’s voice came out almost like a growl, “I should have known to come by earlier.”

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, “We have all the time in the world.”

Before she could pull away, Jaime cupped her jaw and he gently pressed a lingering kiss onto her lips. He pulled back after what felt like an eternity and looked up at her with a sparkle in his eyes, “Although that may be true, that doesn’t stop me from wanting you now.” The thumb of his other hand pressed against her bottom lip and liquid heat shot down her spine which she did a fairly poor job of ignoring. For a moment she forgot herself as her lips wrapped around the tip and her tongue swiped across the pad. By the smirk on Jaime’s face, she may have even made some sort of yearning noise. What an insolent jerk. His thumb then smoothed down to her jaw bone. He _should_ have arrived earlier.

Just as Jaime’s eyes darkened to the hue of that of a lush evergreen forest, a voice called out, “Jaime!”

Brienne blinked slowly as the world seemed to swim back into focus. She took Jaime’s elbow as they turned towards the greeting, “Arthur,” Jaime said. To others, he probably sounded composed, but she could hear the undercurrent of desperation in his voice. It sent affection and arousal pumping through her veins. 

Arthur halted his steady jog in front of them, “Sorry to keep you waiting. Lovely to see you again, Brienne,” he looked between the two of them then gave them a broad smile, “Congratulation on your nuptials!” 

“On our—“

“Thank you, Arthur,” Jaime interrupted and pulled her closer to his side. Brienne wanted to kick him, but instead leaned towards him.

“You were such a sweet couple the last time the two of you were here,” Arthur continued. Brienne tried not to look too dumbly. The last time they had been here they had practically just met! “And you just looked so happy, Jaime. Happier than I had seen you in all the time I’d known you!” 

Jaime’s smile was soft, “Thank you. I’ve even decided to take on the name Tarth, fitting for the new exhibit, wouldn’t you say.” She should have kicked him.

Brienne shot Jaime a look, but he just continued to grin. Arthur chuckled, “Well, after seeing what we have today, you’ll see why that was an excellent choice.”

* * *

Jaime wasn’t _actually_ furious, but his petulant pouting and his very loud, insistent complaining only made the situation _that_ much more hilarious. “What did I say,” Brienne sang.

“I’m going to have to tell Arthur that this item doesn’t belong in the exhibit. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“Living up to his reputation once again; Arthur Dayne is the most knowledgeable and brightest of us all.”

“So disappointing to see heroes fall.”

Arthur quirked his eyebrow as he watched the two adults in front of him bicker like children… or a married couple, “I am still right here.”

Jaime shook his head and looked to the ceiling, “I can still hear him sometimes.”

Brienne hip checked him, “Fallen heroes aren’t dead heroes!”

“Ah hah! So you agree, this was an egregious mistake.”

Brienne gave Arthur an apologetic look that didn’t quite reach the amused sparkle in her eyes, “Sorry about him. He just can’t admit he’s wrong.”

“I am not wrong. Oathkeeper is a Lannister sword!” Jaime stated for the hundredth time, despite the evidence that was laid right there before them. 

“Does that mean you don’t want to touch the sword, Jaime?” Arthur asked.

Jaime immediately called to attention, “Touch the sword?”

“Touch the sword?” Brienne repeated.

Arthur nodded, “If, of course, you think I have it in the right exhibit. If not I’ll have to put it back down into storage...”

“Oathkeeper is a Tarth sword,” Jaime said in a rush. “Can we really _touch_ it?”

Brienne snickered under her breath. She had never seen anyone call Jaime to heel so swiftly. It seemed that although Arthur didn’t see Jaime often, he knew exactly how to tame him.

Arthur disabled the security system somehow and opened the container. Slowly, he pulled the legendary Valyrian sword out of its protective confines and laid it gently on a long pillow. “You will have to be careful as it is still sharp, and please avoid the rubies. Though it seems to be in excellent condition for its age, it would be a tragedy to have the jewels displaced now.”

It was almost like being a kid with a new toy again. Brienne was sure that the wonder in Jaime’s eyes was also in hers as they both reached out to gently stroke the flat of the red and black rippled blade. Their fingers seemed to move in tandem up to the cross-guard, intricate lion heads for the quillion. Brienne was the first to wrap her hand around the hilt, and somehow it seemed perfect for her. Maybe it was just how every sword felt, since Jaime expressed the same feeling when he too gripped it. When she wrapped her hand around the pommel, it almost felt like home.

They must have been standing there, touching Oathkeeper, for quite a time, for soon enough Arthur spoke again, his tone apologetic on his lips, “I’ll have to put this away now, but I hope you can appreciate the craftsmanship. It might be Tarth’s sword, but it was certainly forged by Lannister hands.” They withdrew and watched Arthur replace the sword and then lock down the case. “Other early access ticket holders will be arriving soon and I must attend to them. The exhibit will be open for you and everyone else until midnight and so will the rest of the museum if you wish to go see it.”

“Thank you, Arthur,” Jaime murmured in reverence.

A teasing grin appeared on Arthur’s face, “For the birdslayer? Anything.”

Jaime actually flushed and Brienne laughed. 

* * *

The Tarth exhibit was fairly crowded now, as they completed their circuit of the exhibit, ending back up where Oathkeeper stole the show. It was now surrounded by an admiring group of people. 

The tribute to the legend of Galladon had been beautiful, the marble statues of the Maiden from the island of Morne themselves. There had been so much marble, marble workings of every sort littering the hall, and so many beautiful paintings of the island and the life that had been lived upon it. 

The showcases dedicated to the Blue Knight and Goldenhand the Just had been her and, she was sure, Jaime’s favourite. Arthur was obviously, and rightfully, on the side of romance for the two legendary figures.

“Do you want to touch _my_ sword?” Jaime smirked as he flickered his eyes suggestively over to Oathkeeper. “I know it’s not nearly as exciting, but it can get pretty excited.”

Brienne flushed, “Jaime by the Seven. How long has that been on your mind for?”

There must have been something in her tone, because Jaime stilled. “Brienne.” The way he said her name was low and slow, the sounds curling off of his lips, enticement saturating the syllables. Every iota of decorum she had in her fell to the wayside and desire flamed. 

“I know a good place,” Brienne murmured quickly, then tugged his hand to move again. They exited the hall that was home to the temporary exhibitions and she began to lead him to exhibit four.

Jaime’s eyes darkened as Brienne dragged him into the Hall of Castles. The bright lights of the rest of the Red Keep museum were left behind them; this exhibit was simply warmed by the glow of artificial firelight. Brienne took a couple turns towards the old pieces of some of the relocated ruins of Winterfell. “You seem to know exactly where you’re going.”

The shade of crimson that had flooded Brienne’s cheeks turned darker and she could hear the thundering of her heart, “I… I thought about taking you here last time.”

Jaime’s eyes turned wide, “Oh…”

“I’ve… fantasized about this,” Brienne continued and turned a corner and dragged him into a dimly let alcove. Once they were safely tucked away, Brienne pressed him into the nearest wall and hid her face against his shoulder, “I guess I fantasize about us doing this—“ she waved just her pointer finger around, “a lot.”

Jaime looked around. The alcove was even more dimly lit than the rest of exhibit four, only the light from the stone halls outside flooding in. Other than their clothes, it certainly seemed as though they were truly back in time, lovers sneaking away from prying eyes to get just a moment of passionate reprieve. Jaime hummed, “Let’s turn them into reality.”

Brienne squeaked as Jaime whirled her around so that her back pressed against the stone. Immediately the dynamic fell into place and her brain seemed to whirl then click. Within the next moment, he was already on his knees, his hands demanding as he lifted the hem of her dress and his lips mouthed against her clit over her underwear. Her hands quickly buried into his hair as he nipped and sucked and sent sensations ricocheting through her. 

“Off,” he growled next as he pulled at the hem of her panties. Cool air brushed against her as she stepped out of the scrap of fabric and then Jaime’s mouth was back again. His fingers pressed insistent on her thigh, pulling one over his shoulder as she balanced precariously on the other foot. 

Brienne bit on the back of her hand as Jaime’s fingers joined his mouth, rubbing, sliding over her folds, gathering moisture. He hummed against her, obviously pleased at how apparent her arousal was, before his fingers plunged into her and she threw her head back and cried out loud enough that she could hear the sound echo in their little alcove.

Jaime pulled away, but his fingers continued to pump into her. His teeth nipped at her thigh, “You’ll have to be quieter, wench, or else we’ll get caught,” he smirked, “Unless of course, that’s what you want? To get caught fucking me.”

There weren’t very many people in the museum in the large scheme of things, and those that were there were all probably still in the Tarth exhibit, but the thrill of being _caught, caught being fucked by Jaime,_ shot through her. “Jaime, we have to be quick,” Brienne whispered, her hands desperately pulling at his hair, willing him to stand and bury himself between her thighs.

“Beg me, Brienne.” His fingers curled and her vision began to whiten at the edges as his tongue re-joined the fray, pushing her in just the right way to make her have to muffle yet another cry.

“Give me your sword, ser.” The whiteness retreated as Brienne realized what she had said. She hid her face in her hands in mortification.

Jaime chuckled and stood, taking care to tuck her panties into his pocket as he moved, “I was expecting something more like you begging for my cock in your cunt, but I suppose what you’ve said is situationally appropriate.”

Brienne glared at him between her fingers, “Jaime!” 

In reply he cupped the back of her head, tugged her hands from her face, and pulled her down for a kiss. Immediately there was teeth and tongue that threatened to send her knees buckling. She reached for his belt and undid it with clumsy haste. The moment she could, she slipped her hand into his boxer briefs and grasped him. He was hard and hot and heavy in her palm, and at her touch he gasped into her mouth and shuddered. She broke their kiss and breathed into his ear, “Fuck my cunt with your cock, ser.”

Brienne lifted her leg and wrapped it around his hip, hooking it against the small of his back. She barely had to guide him towards her, and his length slid between her wet folds. “Will you be okay without lube?” he asked quickly.

Brienne nodded, affection for this man threatening to drown her, and then with a single thrust he slid home. She bit into his shoulder with enough force that she knew she had left a bruise. Jaime grunted against the line of her jaw and hooked his elbow beneath her knee, both of his hands then palming her ass.

It didn’t take long, but with Jaime whispering into her ear, describing how tight she was, how he loved to be in her, how he _wished_ someone would come and see him desperately fucking her, her beautiful flush covering her clavicle and chest – let them lament that she wasn’t theirs – all while he thrust into her fast and hard, it felt like the Wall was falling all around her within mere moments.

She must have let out a loud cry as she came, for when she came to, one of Jaime’s hands was clamped over her mouth, “Shh, sweetling, as much as I love to hear your pleasure…” he grunted as his hips began to stutter, his release threatening to follow hers. 

She shifted her head so that he was no longer muffling her, “Jaime, the mess,” she reminded him.

“Fuck!” Jaime pulled out of her and stilled, his breathing laboured as he rested his forehead just under her chin, “Thank gods you stopped me,” and then he paused, and looked up at her and licked his lips. She followed the movement and knew what he was going to say before he said it. “But I can clean it up if you want—”

Brienne shook her head, “No, I want to…” she dropped her leg and her hands, previously clasped on his shoulders, began to slide down his arms, his torso, his hips. She heard Jaime’s breath hitch as she got onto her knees this time, and once again wrapped her fingers around his now ever so slightly glistening and throbbing cock. She took care to look up at him as she stuck her tongue out and made one hard long swipe along the entire length. The taste of her on him was heady, and she felt such satisfaction tasting it. 

Her other hand cupped his ass just as he stumbled, and centered him enough that he didn’t just crumble to the ground. 

His hands gently touched the back of her head as she wrapped her lips around the tip and gently sucked. “Fuck,” he murmured as his fingers tangled into her hair. 

Brienne hummed, pleased, and began to bob along the length of his cock, taking him as deep as she could, the flat of her tongue pressed hard against the smooth underside. It only took around two or three strokes before she could see on his face that he was about to come. A strangled warning came from his throat and then he came hot against the back of her throat. She swallowed the mess and curled her tongue over the sensitive head one last time, catching any last droplets, then carefully tucked him back into his pants as he caught his breath. 

Jaime did crumple then, to his knees, and took her face in both of his hands. “Fuck, am I ever glad that I am yours,” he murmured and kissed her. 

Brienne smiled into the kiss. “This has been a pretty good first date.”

He chuckled then enveloped her in his arms, holding her close. “Gods, I’m glad we weren’t actually caught.”

Brienne giggled as she held him, “Seven! Me too.”

“Let’s get away from the scene of the crime.” He stood up and reached out his hand.

She took it and they scurried out of the halls of Winterfell. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My efforts to get the last chapters out once a week are obviously not going well xD. No more schedules xD Only chapters as soon as I can for ya'll. 
> 
> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:  
> Security: Ser, those two suspicious young people just went to that alcove. We don't have a clear view, but...  
> Arthur: TURN OFF THOSE CAMERAS


	28. Oh To Be A Tarth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing this chapter and encouraging the utter chaos <3

It had been what they called an impulse purchase. She had been at the Quiet Isle with Jaime looking at finally getting a harness and… _an_ _implement,_ when she had walked past the rope section and had seen it. It had been a new wheel, placed in the space where Asha always rotated her stock. _And it was perfect_.

Brienne had practically chased Jaime out of the store and made him stand outside with the penis kraken mural for company in order to make the secret purchase, Asha giving her a conspiratorial look the entire time she rang her up. After, he hadn’t stopped bothering her and trying to peek into the bag all the way home. She had managed to safeguard her treasure well until the day finally came and, Seven, was she glad that she had. 

The look on Jaime’s face as she had pulled the nearly emerald green bundles of rope out of his box of sexy things had been confused, to say the least, but she didn’t care. This was for her mostly. “They match your eyes,” she had told him, and he had seemed to immediately understand. 

It had been her turn to be confused then, until he had told her. And she had felt so foolish for not having realized it so long ago. They were learning more and more how absolutely silly they had been. The whole revelation had them laughing together for a full five minutes.

Now though, as she wrapped the longest length around him, dressed him back up in that rope dress she had tied him into what seemed like eons ago, nothing seemed silly.

“How do you feel, love?” Brienne asked as she checked to make sure that none of the components bound his torso too tightly. 

“Good,” he replied, and she gripped his chin firmly, but kissed him tenderly. He shuddered under her touch and tried to wrap around her. 

“No,” she commanded, “Sit down on the bed.”

He looked up at her, his eyes even greener with the rope accentuating their hue. Jaime sat down without much protest but his hands reached for her hips and he tugged her in to nuzzle at her navel. She ran her hand through his hair, caressing him gently, and used her other hand to massage his shoulder. He hummed in pleasure.

“Jaime,” she tried to say his name as reverently as possible. He responded by pressing the tips of his fingers into her skin. “Help me put my harness on.”

Jaime reached behind him to grab a black leather harness and a teal silicone double-sided dildo. One side was several inches in length, fairly thick headed, and tapered to be even wider at the base. The other side was short, round and smooth, curving ever so slightly. He slipped the phallus into the O-ring of the harness then grabbed the bottle of lube to slather the bulb. Next, he carefully began to strap it around Brienne’s waist, slipping the bulb into her with the tease of his fingers as he did so. Brienne continued to comb his hair with her fingers, making sure that her nails grazed his scalp, and squeezed her muscles around the toy inside of her. She wondered what it would feel like once she started rocking in him, how the bulb would press against her g-spot. There was texture right where her clit was too, so she was sure it would be pleasurable either way.

Jaime tightened the harness, somehow just right on his first try, as though he had every measurement of her body, and Brienne nodded at him in approval when he looked up at her. His smile was brilliant as he next secured the straps around her thighs. When he was done pulling the straps taut, he cupped her ass. “We should have gotten something bigger,” he murmured as he examined the dildo in front of his face.

“Baby steps, sweetheart,” Brienne said with a small smile. Jaime had also wanted to get something that vibrated for her, but she had wanted something that focused solely on him. In the end they had compromised.

He pouted a little, but rubbed his stubble against her navel again, his lips barely an inch away from the length of the toy.

Brienne could feel her cheeks heating up as she geared up to ask the next question. “Do you want to… suck it?”

Jaime snapped up to attention. “Gods,” he murmured and then with no further preamble wrapped his lips around the tip. Brienne felt herself get light headed from the sight. She hadn’t thought that it would turn her on so much, but it was delightful, seeing Jaime like this. Her heart nearly stopped when he turned his gaze to look up at her.

She tried to keep her hands away from his head, but he seemed to sense her worry and indecision and made a grab for her hand. He placed it gently on the back of his head, so that her pinky brushed up against the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. She stroked her thumb over his scalp as he bobbed up and down the shaft, leaving the toy wet with his saliva. 

Brienne continued to stare at him, for just a couple more moments as his eyelashes fluttered and brushed against the high apples of his cheeks, before she backed away, bent down, and replaced the silicon cock with her mouth. “Lie down, Jaime,” she murmured against his lips.

Jaime nodded, as though in a trance, and she could feel him begin to relax even further. He wasn’t quite there… in that space he occupied, but he was sinking fast and she would be sure to guide him home. 

They shimmied back into the middle of the mattress and Brienne made sure that he was comfortable with a soft pillow beneath his head and one beneath his hips. “Hold your knees up and apart for me, love,” and when he did just that, she smiled at him, “You’re so good, Jaime.”

He let out a long sigh and Brienne brushed his hair out of his forehead. “Tell me your favourite colour, sweetheart.”

“Green,” he murmured.

Brienne nodded and reached for the bottle of lube. She coated her fingers, all of them. The first one slid in cleanly and easily, it barely caused a reaction until she gently stroked his prostate. Jaime shuddered then, and Brienne worked in the second. His hips started to buck a bit and she continued to work him slowly, methodically, stroking while also scissoring her fingers to relax the muscles. 

She added a little bit more lube before working in the third finger, and this time she added lube to the dildo too. Brienne could see from the way that Jaime was moving, reacting to her touch, that he was deep within himself. Still, she said, “Jaime, the toy is next.”

He hummed a wordless reply, but his body language didn’t hint at any distress. Brienne retracted her fingers then guided the tip of the thick head towards his ass. Jaime groaned as she eased the phallus into him - ignoring, for now, how the change in resistance was transmitting to her. She must have been moving too slowly, too carefully, for she heard Jaime almost whimper, “Please.”

She sped up, just a touch, and then in no time it felt like her hips were pressed warm and solid against him. “Yes?” she asked.

“Fuck,” Jaime replied and tossed his head, “Gods. Please. Fuck me.”

Brienne’s hand wrapped around his cock, which had been left straining and hard against his stomach until this moment, and Jaime jumped and pressed his ass even closer to her. “Look at me, Jaime.”

Jaime’s eyes fluttered open and he gazed at her.

“You can release your knees.”

His fingers peeled themselves off the back of his thighs, and his legs wrapped around her hips.

Her fingers traced the emerald ropes crisscrossing over his torso, and as they did so her thumb rubbed over the head of his cock. Jaime groaned loudly and threw his arms over his eyes, elongating his body enticingly. Brienne pulled back her hips slowly then pushed back in, and Jaime went to grasp at the sheets to either side of his head. Not so slowly, but certainly to his pleasure, Brienne began to retract and thrust farther and faster, one hand bracing against his waist, tugging at his rope dress, the other still squeezing his cock. 

When it was beyond obvious that Jaime was enjoying the way she was moving within him, Brienne let some of her focus go to her own pleasure, to the way the toy pushed against her as she moved inside him and how it rocked against her g-spot and her clit. It wasn’t enough to get her to orgasm, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that she could feel this good while making Jaime feel better, and she could feel in one palm of her hand the way the muscles in his abdomen rippled as he clenched and relaxed, and in the other palm of her hand how he swelled as she pumped his cock and her tight grip held him back just the faintest bit, and…

Jaime roared as he came. It was almost a shock to Brienne, how fast it had come upon him, the noise he made as he tossed back his head and arched his back. It had been much shorter than he usually lasted, but this  _ was _ the first time that they had done this together.

Brienne blinked in wonder as she watched Jaime try to gather himself. He was so  _ flushed _ , from his cheeks to his nipples, down to his navel and his still hard cock. 

She was  _ in _ him.

And he loved it.

That was when she realized that he wasn’t softening although more than enough time had passed… because he hadn’t ejaculated. Her eyes widened. A sly, shy, and delighted smile graced her lips, and she leaned down to purr in his ear, “Jaime… shall I continue?”

“Gods, Brienne…” he whined.

“What do you say?”

Jaime’s arms wrapped around her shoulders, his ankles crossing at the small of her back. “Fuck, please!”

* * *

Jaime laid draped over her, happy as can be although he was little more than an over-glorified blanket. But he seemed content, and Brienne was happy to have him snuggled on top of her as they recovered. He was still drifty and a little bit rumbly as he breathed puffs of air against her cheek.

She made sure to touch him plenty. Long, flat handed strokes that started high on his shoulders and went down the muscled length of his back, over the shapely curve of his ass, and down his tight thighs before she would start over again. It was a little like petting a large house cat, his breaths akin to purring.

The thought made Brienne giggle a little and Jaime protested to the slight shaking of his “bed” by nuzzling into the crook of her neck and somehow curling himself tighter around her. “Stop it,” he whined.

That only made her giggle more.

“Brienne,” he continued whining, but the laughter began to invade him too. 

“Love you,” Brienne murmured.

Jaime practically chirred, “Love you too.”

* * *

Brienne saw the twinkle in Jaime’s eye as soon as they caught sight of her family at the barbeque area in the park. It wasn’t hard to miss the Tarth family, with two giants lumbering around one of the grills and picnic tables. She wasn’t able to grab his arm to stop him before he bounded over to her brother. “Galladon!”

She turned towards her soon to be ex-boyfriend… lover? Partner? Her ex-something, and waved, “Jaime! Cheesy! You made it.”

“Great to see you again!” Jaime skidded to a halt and gave Galladon a cursory handshake-hug before blurting, “For the purposes of… purposes, is the hood of a car a table?“

To Brienne’s sheer horror, Galladon seemed to immediately understand the context, “Definitely,” he replied.

Jaime grinned at her in triumph, “See! Even your brother—“

“As far as I’m concerned, getting my brother to agree with you only diminishes your argument,” Brienne scowled as she arrived at the picnic table.

“How about if you put a rug  _ on _ a table, is the rug now a table?” Galladon asked Jaime, completely ignoring his sister, who was slowly turning puce.

Jaime rubbed his chin in contemplation, “Why—“

“No!” Brienne screamed.

“—Yes I think it does.” There was  _ no way _ that Jaime  _ honestly _ believed that.

“A rug is a bloody rug.” Brienne stomped her foot. That stopped Jaime in his tracks as he looked at her with the utmost adoration. However, it quickly evolved into a delighted grin. She pouted, he was never going to let this go. 

“I haven’t even had the chance to say hello yet and already you two are yelling at each other,” a deep comforting voice sighed from behind her.

“Completely Cheesy’s fault,” Galladon sang.

Brienne turned around and hugged her father quickly. He smoothed down her hair and kissed her on the crown of her head before she released him. His clothes already smelled of the grill, “Da-ad!” Brienne pointed, “Galpal is being a big butt.”

Selwyn shook his head, then shouldered his way between his two children, creating a literal wall so that they could no longer antagonize each other, “You must be Jaime. Brienne was right, you are a handsome fellow, aren’t you?”

Jaime perked up like an over-eager dog and Brienne felt herself flush, “Handsome?”

Selwyn chuckled and held out his hand, “Well… she used the words ‘pretty alright looking’, and I know my daughter. Then Galladon confirmed it. My name is Selwyn Tarth. I am sorry that you had to meet my children first. I swear we’re not all quite like that.”

“PAPA!” Two voices called out in unison. Then “IT’S BRIN.” “BRININE”

Selwyn gave Jaime another boisterous grin, “I do swear.”

Two small bodies tackled Brienne to the ground and suddenly there were two bright, sticky smiling faces shoved into hers. “Brin! You’ve got shorter!”

Brienne, a little bit dazed, patted Alysanne on the head, “I think you’re the one who’s gotten taller.”

“I told you we got taller, Alys,” Arianne said, sticking out her tongue, then turned to Brienne, “Did you miss us, Brinine?”

Brienne sat up and gathered both girls in her arms to bring them both into a giant bear hug. They screeched in glee, “Of course I missed you Alys, Ari! Look at how big you two are now. I don’t think I can pick both of you up anymore!”

“No! Pick us up,” Arianne demanded.

Alysanne crawled off of Brienne and gave her a tiny hand of help. Although it wouldn’t actually aid much, Brienne took it anyways and pushed herself to her feet, Arianne rolling off of her and splatting onto the grass. “Okay, okay. I’ll try carrying you both. Come here.”

Two bodies once again hit her, but this time, without the run up, they didn’t knock her off her feet. Brienne tried to pick them both up, one arm around each girl, but wasn’t able to anymore, though it was mostly due to their high energy squirming rather than their actual weights. The passage of time had truly gotten to her little sisters/nieces and Brienne kissed both of them on the cheek as she set them both back down on the ground before they threw out her back. 

“Brinine!” Arianne complained, her forehead scrunched in frustration, “I still want to fly!”

“Arianne can go first,” Alys determined and backed off.

“Sadly, Alysanne is the only one who took after me,” Selwyn chuckled lowly to Jaime. Jaime snorted.

Galladon looked at the picnic table he was only half done setting up, but then shrugged and was about to go collect Alys when instead, Jaime stepped forward. “Um… do you want me to carry you? Er… help you fly?” All eyes turned to Jaime, who fidgeted at the attention.

Alysanne’s eyes were huge, “Are you Brin’s Jaime?”

Jaime’s eyes flickered up to Brienne and a serene smile stretched over his face, “I suppose I am.”

Alysanne shyly held up her arms while shifting between her feet excitedly. Jaime swept her up and she burst into a fit of giggles.

“Brinine! My turn!” Brienne, who was trying to process the near explosion of her ovaries, turned back to Arianne and swept her up too. Arianne pointed over at the other two, “I want to meet Jaime!”

“Okay, okay,” Brienne whimpered as she slinked over to Jaime, her face close to scarlet. Alysanne was touching his face with both of her hands and oohing and aahing as he smiled, bright as can be. She felt her ovaries shudder. This had been a terrible idea. 

* * *

Jaime squinted, “Is that Margaery I see in the distance?”

“What’s a Margaery? Is it like margarine? I prefer butter,” Alysanne said from his shoulders, her arms wrapped around his forehead, partially obscuring his vision. 

“No…” Brienne groaned, “Galpal, you didn’t.”

Galladon grinned at the two of them, “I did. I didn’t think you would mind since she’s your friend.”

“I mind that your—“

Galladon’s eyes flickered to the two kids and Brienne huffed. She used two fingers to point at her eyes and then pointed at him, “I’m watching you.”

“Counting on it, Brie,” Galladon said with a wink. Brienne’s nose wrinkled in repugnance.

Arianne tapped the crown of Brienne’s head a couple of times then stretched up to try and spot what her ride was seeing, “Brinine! What’s a Margaery?” 

She swept in like a flowery goddess before any of them could point her out. Brienne had no idea how Margaery got petals to play up in her wake like that, but maybe one day when she wanted to make a dramatic entrance she would ask. “ _ I’m _ Margaery, Margaery Tyrell. Hello, you two cuties must be…”

“I’m Alys.”

“I’m Ari!”

Margaery tilted her head, “Adorable,” she said and smiled in greeting at Jaime and Brienne.

“Like me,” Galladon grinned as he sidled up beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Brienne made a gagging then retching motion and Jaime chuckled under his breath.

Margaery touched his chest, her fingers skimming up and down, “Hi, babe.” Brienne tasted bile in her mouth.

Galladon pecked her on the lips, “Hi, babe.”

“Stop, please.”

“What, Brie?” Margaery smiled at her none too innocently. Was this revenge for the whole romantic friendship thing? “This is what people do when they are in a romantic  _ relation _ ship.” It was definitely revenge for the whole romantic friendship thing.

“Am I in the Seven hells?” Brienne muttered.

“No,” Alysanne replied emphatically, “It’s not hot enough.”

* * *

Brienne jerked when Jaime’s hand landed on her thigh. He whispered in her ear, “You realize you’re just giving them what they want by flinging peas at them, right?”

She set her plastic spoon down and ripped her dinner roll in half instead, with just a little bit too much vigour, all while trying to stop her nostrils from flaring. 

Selwyn just shook his head and sighed, taking another bite of his burger. As far as he was concerned, lunch had been fairly civil so far. No flying utensils, though this was why he had only bought plastic ones, or fists, his two oldest children on as best as their behaviour really could be when they were within range of each other. But his standards had been lowered long… long…  _ long  _ ago. As long as they didn’t have to make a trip to the emergency room, he would consider the day a resounding success.

Margaery continued to feed Galladon the hot dog and just when Brienne was almost able to unfurrow her forehead, Galladon stuck out his tongue and licked ketchup off of Margaery’s fingers. “Get a room!” Brienne whined loudly and chucked both halves of the dinner roll at her brother. He blocked the onslaught with his arms and cackled.

Margaery burst out into laughter as Selwyn barked, “Brienne! Manners!”

“Manners? But da-ad, Galpal was… he was…”

Selwyn raised his eyebrows, “He was what?”

Brienne whined, “He was licking my friend.”

“Consensually,” Margaery piqued. Brienne stuck her fingers in her ears and started la, la, laing. 

Jaime couldn’t help but snort at Brienne’s antics and he received a stomp on the foot for it. “Ouch! Don’t hurt your only ally!”

“You’re not my only ally. Girls?” Brienne exclaimed and turned towards Alysanne and Arianne.

“Galladon is right,” Alys and Ari chirped at the same time, their faces covered with crumbs and ketchup. From the corner of Brienne’s eye she saw Galladon’s hand disappear back behind his back.

She rounded on him, her nose flaring again, “Did you teach them a call and abide signal?”

“By the Seven, another thing I’m going to have to make them unlearn,” Selwyn bemoaned.

“This happens frequently?” Jaime asked.

“Constantly,” Selwyn sighed.

Galladon tilted his head to the side as Margaery giggled, “Don’t know what you’re talking about, Brie.”

* * *

Brienne narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she watched Galladon give Alysanne and Arianne an extra ice lolly before holding his finger up to his lips then winking. She would have to find something better to bribe them with so that they would always agree with  _ her _ . Though being in King’s Landing no doubt put her at a severe disadvantage. 

Margaery snuggled up to her side, “I have to say, I have never seen this side of you Brie,” she said with delight saturating her voice.

“Are you and Galpal actually dating?”

“Wouldn’t you be even more weirded out if we weren’t?”

“Gods, cursed either way,” Brienne moaned and rested her cheek on the crown of her friend’s head. “You’re too good for him.”

Margaery giggled, “You’re the sweetest. But you don’t actually mean that.”

“I suppose he’s alright.”

Margery changed the topic, “Your dad and Jaime seem to get along really well.” 

Brienne was actually resolutely trying to ignore the whole thing that was happening over there. If Jaime getting along with her little sisters/nieces made her ovaries want to explode, and she supposed Jaime getting along with her brother made her  _ brain _ want to explode, Jaime getting along with her father  _ still _ made her heart want to explode. Explode more now that she could physically see them sitting across from each other and carrying on a conversation about who knows what: the City Watch, other sports teams, politics, she didn’t care. It was still a sight to behold. Such a sight that she physically couldn’t actually behold it. 

“They do,” Brienne replied nonchalantly.

She flickered her eyes over to Margaery’s face, and her expression was pinched in a way that Brienne knew her friend was trying to analyze her. She wondered what she saw. Was the cat finally out of the bag?

Margaery huffed in frustration and Brienne tried not to smile.

Not yet. 

* * *

“Brienne.”

She wrapped her arms back around her dad’s torso and this time took the time to bury her face into his comforting shoulder, “I’m so happy you came up. I missed you.”

Selwyn kissed her on the crown of her head again and took her into his warm embrace. Nothing was like being enveloped in a hug by her father. “I am too, but we haven’t been able to talk much considering…” he waved his hand around. Jaime was entertaining the two girls for the time being, once again threatening some of Brienne’s reproductive organs, and Margaery and Galladon were making out by the picnic table. It was great that she now had an excuse to look at neither of those two interactions.

Brienne laughed under her breath, “All in a day.”

Selwyn chuckled, “All in a day. But I will be around for the next couple of days and I thought why not grab breakfast with you and Jaime tomorrow morning so we can actually chat.”

“You, Galpal, the—“

“Just me. Leave your brother with the twins for a bit.”

“That would be great.”

He patted her on the back, “Good, good. Text me your favourite brunch place and I’ll meet you there at 10 am?”

“Okay.” Her dad tried to hug her tighter, but Brienne groaned, “The food, dad! You know how much I love your burgers!”

Selwyn chuckled, “I may have chucked too many things on the grill, I was much too excited to be meeting—“

Jaime jogged over their way, “Brienne!” he looked much too happy. He nodded at her dad, “Selwyn.”

“What did you do?” Brienne immediately asked.

A wide grin graced Jaime’s features, “You’re going to love this. Sorry Selwyn.”

“Will it send anyone to the emergency room?”

Jaime shrugged, “Highly unlikely.”

Selwyn sighed, “Best I can hope for really.”

The three of them watched as Alysanne and Arianne whispered, then stretched, then made a full tilt run at Galladon. Just before they bulldozed him, and Margaery by proxy, down to the ground, they screamed, “PAPA.”

“CURSE YOU, CHEESY!” Galladon shouted as two forces of nature took him down.

“Wait? Brie wasn’t just messing with me?” Margaery cried.

“No!”

“PAPA.”

“By the Seven!”

“I meant yes!”

“PAPA.”

Brienne laughed until she cried leaning on Jaime as he smiled brightly at her and held her. Selwyn simply shook his head although there was a hint of a smile on his face, “I see Brienne has presented to you her theory.”

Jaime grinned, “Thought a little chaos wouldn’t be out of place.”

Selwyn shook his head again, rolled his eyes up to the sky, and sighed fondly, “Welcome to the family.”

Brienne shivered in delight.

It would be hours before Brienne realized the weirdness of that statement.

* * *

Brienne giggled as Jaime tumbled her back onto her bed as soon as they got back to her place, peppering kisses all along her jawline and down her neck. “Gods, holding back, even a little, was awful.”

Brienne grabbed Jaime’s face, squishing his cheeks between her hands, “Even after we tell my family we’re in a relationship, we are  _ not _ making out in front of my father. I have standards and they are higher than Gal’s.”

Jaime grinned, “Spoil sport.”

She gave him a little smirk, “It’s called keeping one’s dad on one’s side.”

“I knew there was an ulterior motive,” Jaime said with more than just a hint of pride and then dipped down to blow a raspberry against her stomach.

Brienne shrieked in laughter and shoved at his head, while Jaime laughed and began to pull at her shirt, “Now off with this.”

“Highly romantic!”

“Peak romance,” Jaime grinned.

She gave him a side eye, then dramatically whipped her shirt off over her head. Jaime whooped in joy and clothes flew as they both stripped. With fairly little preamble, Jaime grabbed the lube and soon after slid home. They both sighed as Brienne wrapped her legs around his hips and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. 

They rocked slowly at first, sighing into languid kisses, fingers gliding over sun kissed skin, before Jaime’s thrusts began to get harder and faster.

Brienne’s stomach gurgled and she felt her lunch swish with every powerful thrust in a way that it hadn’t when they had been moving soft and slow. An uncomfortable feeling comparable to exercising too soon after eating overwrote immediately all the pleasant feelings. She supposed this  _ was  _ exercising too soon after eating.

“Brienne?” Jaime asked. Brienne blinked and realized that Jaime had stopped above her, his eyebrows furrowed, “Are you okay?” He brushed his hand over her forehead, sweeping her hair out of her face.

“I um…” Brienne tried to articulate what was wrong, but only one thing came to mind, “Um, red?”

Jaime immediately pulled out of her, sat up, and began fussing, “What’s wrong? Are you hurting somewhere?”

Brienne flushed, realizing that maybe she had made a bigger deal out of the situation than she had meant to, “Sorry, nothing’s  _ wrong. _ I’m not hurt. I just wanted you to stop. _ ” _

Jaime sighed a bit in relief and sat beside her on the bed as she sat up, “If you wanted me to stop, whatever the reason, then saying red was perfect.”

“But you’d already stopped and we’re not even in a scene,” Brienne muttered.

Jaime nodded and took her hand in his, “I had, but that’s okay. You didn’t know why I stopped. We’re communicating,” he said the word with such reverence, “And if that was the first thing that popped into your head, it was the first thing. I know what it means.”

Brienne’s eyes furrowed, “Why had you stopped?”

“Because you made a face I wasn’t familiar with in that context.”

“Oh.”

Jaime looked up at her with a quirked brow, “I mean… it’s what you do for me every time I go into my space, because you know I’m less able…”

Brienne nodded frantically, “I do.”

Jaime gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand tightly, “Can I ask why you wanted to stop?”

Brienne flushed again, “I haven’t… I may have eaten too many of my dad’s burgers.”

Jaime grinned, “You were voracious.”

“After I’m done digesting?”

Jaime leaned on her shoulder and intertwined their fingers, “Definitely.”

* * *

“This place is very…” Selwyn paused and looked around the café, “You. It’s a bit like walking into your childhood bedroom.”

“It was actually Jaime who introduced me to this place.”

Selwyn’s eyebrow rose as he took a sip of his black Drogon’s blend coffee before going back to his breakfast. He too had been horrified watching Jaime mix three spoonfuls of sugar and half the container of milk into his mug. “Are you sure this is the man you want?” he had asked.

“As my friend?” Brienne had replied unconvincingly. 

Selwyn had simply hummed a simple, “Mm hmm.”

“This was actually where we met for the first time,” Jaime said, looking over at Brienne. She met his gaze and saw the twinkle in his eyes. Her heart beat a steady, comforting rhythm that she had long ago associated with him.

“Was it love at first sight?” 

Both Brienne and Jaime jerked, their heads snapping toward Selwyn, their eyes wide. “What?” Brienne squeaked, “What are you talking about, dad?”

Her father sighed and set down his fork and knife. “Honestly, my dear child. You can fool Galladon, you can fool your friends, you can fool the world - though the Seven only know how, it  _ must  _ have been quite something when you two weren’t yet together, I suppose Galladon did give me that little sneak peek - but you can’t fool me.”

Brienne flushed and opened her mouth to try and reply but nothing came out. She warbled a couple more times before Jaime put his hand over hers and gave her a questioning look. She nodded her head. “Our friends and your son have been giving us a bit of grief because of how er… oblivious we were about our feelings and so we thought to have a little fun at their expense.”

Selwyn chuckled, “I really hoped that all of Brienne’s nonsense was directed solely at Galladon.”

“Why do you think it was me?” Brienne whined pitifully.

Selwyn gave her a look. A very fatherly look, “Well, wasn’t it?”

Brienne pouted and felt like a child again, “It was. But still…” She ignored the fact that the corners of Jaime’s lips were twitching upwards and stuffed some eggs into her mouth. She would deal with him later.

“I’ll keep it from Galladon, but only because he is  _ still _ complaining about my filing system.”

“Are you sure that your children didn’t get it from you?” Jaime grinned.

“Hush, son.”

Brienne felt Jaime jerk then saw him flush. She knew that his relationship with his father hadn’t been great. It must have been  _ something _ though, for him to react so strongly to her father calling him son.

“I will admit though, seeing you two interact wasn’t the only reason I was fairly certain you two were in a relationship.”

“What?” Brienne asked. 

Selwyn chuckled, “Arthur Dayne seems to think you two are married.”

“You know Arthur Dayne?”

“Who do you think provided him with so much of the information he has in that exhibit of his?”

“You know… I don’t know why that hadn’t occurred to me,” Brienne sighed. 

“So why  _ does _ Arthur Dayne seem very convinced that you two are married and that, specifically, Jaime has taken the name Tarth.”

“Uh…”

“Because Jaime can’t keep his mouth shut,” Brienne replied easily.

Selwyn stared at them, “I can believe this.”

“Believe me, Selwyn, I would marry her right this second!” Jaime said in a rush.

Brienne stared at him, “What?” 

Jaime stared at her, uncomprehending  _ himself _ of what he had just said, “What?”

“Well, that explains why he’s taking the name Tarth,” Selwyn said, and took another sip of his coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find it quite funny that "the pegging that was promised" is already a tag that was previously used.
> 
> I won't be able to reply to the comments tonight because I'm very tired D: but I will tomorrow, I promise! I love you all!
> 
> I feel like there's something I told myself a million times that I was going to put into the author's notes of this chapter and then have, of course, forgotten at the crucial moment...
> 
> OH GOD I REMEMBER NOW. Jaime and Brienne and Galladon's opinions on tables mean nothing xD


	29. Sunflowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta lewispanda!!! We had so many syncing brainwaves this chapter!!!

They remained at the Book Wyrm for a little while longer, even after Selwyn left. Jaime set down his fourth coffee cup of the morning. He had finally consumed enough caffeine to have the energy to address the elephant in the café, “The idea’s insane… right?”

Brienne took a sip of her own, her eyes trained on his as though she were afraid what would happen if she broke contact. “Insane.”

“Crazy.”

“Absolutely crazy.”

Jaime looked away first and frowned at his left hand. He tilted it back and forth,then touched the black metal. Its other half glowed a, quite frankly, obnoxious blue. “Fuck… we already have the rings.”

Brienne’s head fell and she laughed - laughed at the _absurdity_ . When would it stop? “We already _do_ have the bloody fucking rings.” And it had been so easy to simply slip it onto her ring finger… and watch him do the same.

He grinned at her and leaned in to peck her on the cheek, “You know I love it when you curse.”

* * *

“Hypothetically… if we did get married, what kind of wedding would you want?” Jaime _could_ have been talking to the contract that he was going through, but she knew he wasn’t.

Brienne chewed on the tip of her pen cap, “Small and simple. Just close friends and family.”

He flicked his eyes up to look at her through his eyelashes. The look was brutal. It made her want to grab him by the collar and drag him across the table then break another chair. “In King’s Landing?”

She blushed. “Probably.”

A sly smile crossed his face, “Your dad is here for a few more days.”

“ _Jaime_.”

The contract was pushed to the side. “How often does he find time to visit?”

“It’s been a couple years since he’s come for a visit.”

“Hmm…”

She shot him a playful look, “We _could_ have it on Tarth.”

“Hypothetically.”

“Hypothetically.”

He grinned and reached for her hand, his fingers running over her rough knuckles, “If we didn’t get married in the next couple of days.”

“ _Jaime!_ ”

* * *

“If we did get married in the next couple of days, where would you want to get married? Higher. Yes, right there.”

Jaime ground the heel of his palms into her upper back. How a person could get away with having no knots was a secret he was not privy to. Brienne often made noises of horror while trying to wring his muscles out. Was it the yoga? Did he use to be worse before he had started joining her classes at the gym? “The Red Keep?”

She turned her head and glared at him, “I’m going to say no. We’re not going to get married anywhere we’ve had sex.”

“I really wish I could pull out the line ‘that leaves few places’, but sadly, I can’t.”

She buried her face back into her crossed arms, “Thank gods you can’t.”

“Oh, don’t worry, darling. That’ll change with time,” he murmured into her ear and watched it turn bright red, the flush washing down the back of her neck. He kissed the shell, “How many places have you fantasized about?” he asked curiously.

“That… is beside the point.”

“So, if we include those, we can’t actually get married anywhere in King’s Landing then?”

“…No. Or well…” Brienne buried her face deeper into her arms, “Nowhere nice.”

* * *

Brienne swiped through her phone. She was _not_ looking at cheap wedding venues in and around King’s Landing. “Say, if we did get married—“

Jaime completed his set of deadlifts and placed the weights back down on the mat. He turned to her, grabbed the towel she held out to him, and wiped at the sweat that was pooling around his hairline and at the hollow between his collarbones. Brienne had learned not to look a long time ago, lest her libido drive her to do something particularly stupid in the locker rooms. “Which we’re not,” Jaime said, slightly breathless.

“Which we’re not. Would you prefer the sunflower fields outside the Dragon’s Gate or the Gate of Gods?”

Jaime shoved his sweaty head against hers to try and get a look at her phone screen. “Sunflower fields?”

She yelped in horror and threw her phone at him, which he caught with a chuckle. While adjusting the weights on the bar, Brienne muttered, “Sunflowers are nice.”

He smiled at her while looking through the photos of the two locations, “Definitely Dragon’s Gate”

Brienne looked over at him with a tilt of her head, “Definitely?”

He nodded and held up her phone so that she could see one particular photo. Sunflowers growing on the edge of a cliff by the water. “I would marry you anywhere, but I would especially like to marry you by the sea.”

Brienne couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips as she stepped behind the bar. “Hypothetically.”

Jaime grinned, “Hypothetically.” He tapped her screen a couple more times, “Plus, they have a petting zoo!”

* * *

Brienne took a deep breath in and felt it rattle through her body, but she couldn’t hear it. She could only feel it.

She could _only_ feel. 

The rope harness that he had tied around her hips dug into skin. She squirmed, opened and closed her knees, and tried to crawl backwards, towards him, but the harness held her in place. Held her where he wanted her. 

Brienne turned her head to look behind her even though she couldn’t _see_ . She was partially suspended over his bed, partially suspended and _presented_ and—

A sharp pain radiated from her ass cheek and Brienne reflexively pulled at the rope that bound her arms together behind her back and gasped in pleasure and surprise. Tried to gasp, but even though she couldn’t hear the sound, she knew that it was coming out muffled. The ball gag was in the way of her words, she could press her tongue against it, and it forced her jaw open, preventing her from easily begging him to _just please, please fuck her already_. 

She still tried, though, her reluctance to beg long gone. The vibrations of those words tickling down her throat.

Another sharp pain bloomed from her other ass cheek and she squirmed fruitlessly again. Brienne faced back forward and pressed her hot cheek against his cool sheets and arched her back. Her nipples, tight and aching, brushed against the fabric, and pleasure shot through her at the simple touch. The movement also lessened the pressure on her hips somewhat and it made her want to laugh. Her actions seemed to be met with approval as she felt his hands sooth over the stinging skin, his thumbs caressing just at the edge of her labia.

She felt him touch her wrist then, the pads of his fingers gentle and firm to call her attention. It was a question; it was _the_ question. Her fist clenched around the clicker in her hand to remind herself it was there, even though, at the moment, she was okay. She responded to his question by swaying her hips as best she could. She just wanted him to… to…

She breathed in and out slowly, putting all of her focus on the minute movement of his hands over her. The callouses on his palms were rough, his nails scratched just a bit… and was that his breath—

Brienne cried out when she felt his mouth press against her. The feeling of his lips moving, pulling at the sensitive skin, his tongue at one point flat and lapping, at another narrowing and probing. Not being able to hear him, not being able to see him, not being able to touch him; it was all so much as his thumbs spread her further and further, opening her up to his thorough ministrations.

What sounds was she making? How _loud_ was she being? Jaime’s lips were curling. Was she being as quiet as a dormouse or was she howling? All she could hear was the roaring sound of rain and thunder clapping through the noise cancelling headphones he had placed over her ears. A ridiculous soundtrack to put on to drown out all else, but she was sure now that she would always associate storms with _this,_ and being from the Stormlands… well…

Fuck Jaime.

_Fuck_ Jaime.

She wanted to _fuck_ Jaime.

She determined that this was something she wanted to try on him someday. Just as soon as she thought of what to play in his ears while she tore him apart and put him back together again. Let him hear the call of birds, or the rushing of waves, or the wind through the reeds and think of nothing but her. For her the storms would never be the same.

Suddenly she felt his hands cup her breasts, his coarse callouses dragging over the sensitive peaks. Brienne threw her head back as he palmed and circled then pinched her nipples. The biting sensation sent her spiralling as fireworks lit up behind her blindfold. 

Her posture dropped as she felt her muscles melt, but her hips did not move as the ropes continued to hold her up for him. The harness dug into her again, quickly pulling her out of her bliss and reminding her what was still happening. If this was how intense partial suspension was, she was definitely going to need more time to build up to full suspension. Time they had. She was excited for the _eventual_ prospect.

Jaime was now working a butt plug into her, stretching her slowly. She moaned when she felt him finally pushing the thickest part in. There was a moment where he just stopped. Stopped to run his hands down the planes of her back, to squeeze her arms and shoulders, to hold her close, his warmth infusing into her. Then, he turned the vibrations on and Brienne nearly kicked out her leg at the sensation. She had surely wailed at that. That got her a smack to the back of her thigh, and when she retaliated by trying to fruitlessly wrap her legs around him to drag him into her, she earned herself another smack. 

Once again, she squirmed, arched her back, and lifted her ass up higher, reducing the tension of the harness but also hopefully encouraging Jaime to fuck her. Then she had a thought. Was he even undressed yet? She angrily expressed this thought through her gag.

He answered her question by sheathing himself to the hilt.

* * *

“Jaime…” Brienne murmured into his shoulder, “I want some cheese.”

Jaime paused in tracing patterns between her freckles and stared at her deadpanned, “Cheese.”

“Yes… please.”

“Don’t you want your honey lemon water first?”

Brienne gazed up and blinked at him slowly, “I want cheese first.”

“This is the first time you have ever wanted cheese after sex.”

Brienne groaned then whined pathetically, “Jaime.”

Jaime couldn’t help but give her a fond kiss on the crown of her head, “Is there a particular kind of cheese you want?”

“You’ll know it when you see it.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Jaime, cheese,” Brienne whined again and rolled off of him. She kept off of her behind, the flesh was still ever so slightly tender from their play.

“Alright, alright. You can just tell me you want _all_ the cheese.” Jaime slowly inched out of bed and made sure that she was tucked securely under the covers.

“You’ll know it when you see it,” Brienne muttered again and smiled at him softly. He kissed her on the nose and then ventured out of the bedroom, downstairs, and into the kitchen.

She counted to ten and smiled into her pillow in giddy delight.

“DAMN IT, BRIENNE.”

It only took a couple seconds before Jaime was back in the room, brandishing a wheel of brie with a pink post-it note on it. “Drink your honey lemon water!”

Brienne peeked out from under the covers, “That was not the response I was expecting.”

“Drink it!”

Brienne inched towards the edge of the bed and reached for the thermos tucked under the bed. There was a blue post-it note on it. Whipping it up in front of her face, she saw the note on the thermos said the same thing that the note on the brie did. 

_Marry me._

Jaime waved the brie around in a pouty huff before he crawled back into bed beside her. He tapped the wheel against her forehead and wrapped his legs around her. “This is why your brother calls you cheesy!”

Brienne looked at him with wide eyes, “Is that a yes?”

“Is _that_ a yes?”

She threw her arms around him. “Yes!”

He threw her arms around her and hooted, “Yes!”

* * *

Selwyn Tarth slid into the seat across from the couple with a jovial smile and a pleased grunt, “Now, Brienne, you know how I don’t like leaving Galladon alone with the twins too often. You have asked me to take a great risk by inviting me out to brunch again.”

“Alys and Ari will keep him in line,” Brienne grinned and poured her father a mug of coffee.

Selwyn raised an eyebrow as he took a sip.

“Alys will keep him in line,” Brienne amended.

“If any one of them is in the emergency room when I get back, I will pin the responsibility on you,” Selwyn jested. Brienne rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile on her face. “So what is it that you wanted to tell me today that you couldn’t tell me yesterday? You look very happy.”

Brienne flushed, “Well yesterday morning we couldn’t tell you the news because, well…”

“It was only yesterday night that I asked for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

Brienne snapped to face Jaime, “LIAR!” She turned back to her dad, “I asked for his.”

Jaime waved a finger around, “ _Technically_ , not lying.”

“ _Technically_ , I did it first.”

“I prepared that thermos before you stuck that brie into the fridge.”

Brienne’s eyebrows furrowed, she crossed her arms and harrumphed. “You weren’t able to prove that last night; you can’t prove it now.”

“I keep the lemons in the fridge! If the brie had already—“

Selwyn hummed, “Well... I guess I won that bet with myself.”

Both of them turned towards him.

“What?” they asked in unison.

Selwyn just gave them another smile. “I said congratulations. Do you have ideas for when you want the big day to be? I’ll do my best to get the time off to come down.”

Brienne flushed and squirmed in her seat, “Actually... um, well… I… we… um…”

Taking pity on his poor _fiancé,_ Jaime cut in, “We were thinking about getting married before you had to fly back to Tarth.”

Finally, Selwyn looked shocked, “That’s in a week.”

“And the venue we were thinking of has three available days the next week,” Brienne continued in a rush and pulled out her phone to show her father the pictures.

He flipped through them. “Galladon is going to lose his mind.”

Brienne grinned and her father immediately made a very put upon sigh, “Well, about that…”

* * *

Brienne heard the faint giggles begin as she was fixing up some snacks in Jaime’s kitchen. The delighted sound made her smile and she hurriedly finished cutting up the slices of cheese and washing the fruit. Running back up the stairs, the giggles got louder and a smile couldn’t help but burst over her face as she finally caught sight of him, lounging on his futon with his laptop, clicking and typing away. 

“What are you doing?” she asked and settled down beside him, pressing her side up against his. 

Jaime just giggled some more and turned the screen towards her.

She fed him a cracker with some cheese and half a strawberry on it first then stared at his digital masterpiece, taking in what was before her, before she broke out in her own giggles. “They are going to kill you!”

“Us! They are going to kill us!”

“I’m going to blame this completely on you.”

“Do I have your approval, then?”

“Jaime, it’s perfect.”

Jaime grinned as he put in an order.

* * *

“What the _fuck_ is this, Jaime?” Tysha said. Her eyes practically burned as she moved them from the invitation in her hand up to the couple standing in front of her. 

But Jaime was already hiding behind Brienne, his protector. “It’s an invitation!” Brienne said brightly.

“Thank you for the astute observation,” Tyrion said dryly as he tapped the card stock as though testing if it was actually of this dimension. He only showed the slightest hint of shock when he confirmed that it indeed was.

“My dad and my… sisters,” she felt Jaime chuckle behind her, his breath brushing against her neck, “Are only here for another week, and we both thought that it would be great if you could all meet them.”

“A meeting of the families,” Tyrion stated deadpanned.

“Yes.”

Tysha ground her teeth, “Doesn’t that sound…”

“Like something close friends do?” Jaime finished brightly, peeking out from behind Brienne’s frame.

Tyrion threw his invitation at his brother’s face.

* * *

Brienne’s phone _shrieked_. Well, no, it sounded exactly like it always did, but she knew who was on the other end of the line and she knew that a shrieking phone would better communicate the emotional state of her brother.

“Hello!” Brienne said brightly, answering the call with a wide smile.

Galladon’s nose spoke to her, “What the hell did dad just give me?”

“An invitation.”

“To?” Galladon cried hysterically.

Brienne tsked sympathetically, “You’ve forgotten how to read, that explains a lot.”

“Cheesy, seriously. I’m gonna have a big bro moment with you.”

“Oh, here we go.”

“Friends with benefits don’t do this kind of stuff. Trust me, I would—“

“LALALA.”

* * *

Jaime showed her the text conversation with unreserved delight.

_A Wild Addam: Why are you demanding my attendance for this party of yours_

_A Wild Addam: Don’t want to hear it unless it’s your wedding xD xD xD_

_Jaime Soon-To-Be Tarth: Because you’re my best friend and best friends are required to come to parties_

_A Wild Addam: What are we? Twelve?_

_Jaime Soon-To-Be Tarth: Just get the next flight out of Lannisport or I’ll get it for you_

_A Wild Addam: What if I just want to spend my weekend watching the races?_

_Jaime Soon-To-Be Tarth: I’ve emailed you the tickets_

_Jaime Soon-To-Be Tarth: The flight leaves tomorrow morning_

_Jaime Soon-To-Be Tarth: Don’t be late_

_Jaime Soon-To-Be Tarth: Oh I also attached the formal invitation_

_A Wild Addam: Formal invitation?_

_A Wild Addam: What the fuck Jaime_

_A Wild Addam: ARE you getting married?_

_A Wild Addam: Have you shown Tyrion this abomination?_

_A Wild Addam: Jaime?_

_A Wild Addam: Well fuck, now I have to come witness this disaster_

* * *

“I’m barely comprehending the design elements that you guys chose for this.” Margaery was staring at the card stock, laid flat on the table in front of her. Her fingers were threaded through her hair, pulling them all away from her face, her palms squishing her cheeks as her elbows rested on the flat surface. She looked like she was just barely holding herself together.

Sansa gave a hysterical giggle. “This is why Jaime is the interior designer and not you, I guess.” She hadn’t been able to stop laughing, a little bit insanely, since Brienne had presented her with the invite. Brienne was a little bit worried for her, but it wasn’t a melt down that was any worse than that of everyone else’s.

Brienne grinned, “It was actually Jaime who designed it.”

Margaery opened and closed her mouth, “I just… I can’t… No one will ever believe that the people who were behind the Baratheon Estates and _this_ are one and the same.”

Sansa held the invitation to her face and balanced it precariously on her nose and upper lip. “This is all a little much,” she giggled.

“So you’ll come?”

Margaery just groaned, “I think I _need_ to. Please tell me there will be alcohol or at least a punch bowl I can spike.”

Sansa just continued to laugh.

* * *

“Podrick!”

Her assistant stuck his head into her office, “Ms. Brienne.”

Brienne resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his cheeky grin. “Come here.”

Podrick slinked towards her desk. “Is something the matter?”

“Not at all, I have this for you.” She brandished an invitation for him. “But! I’ll only give it to you if you start calling me just Brienne.” They stared at each other. She sighed in defeat, “Here.”

Podrick took it with both of his hands and stared. He looked adorably confused. “Ms. Brienne?”

“Will you be able to make it?”

“I will.”

“Then I’ll see you there.”

“I don’t… what’s the dress code for a…” Podrick’s face twisted comically, “A friendly gathering?”

“It’s just a casual party, Podrick.”

Podrick glanced at the invitation again, “Right… okay.”

* * *

The warm wind lifted the hem of her dress and she fumbled to keep it down, her laughter catching with the breeze and going out to sea. She breathed in the salty air and could feel the barest of ocean spray on her face. “Gods, what a beautiful day,” Jaime said beside her, his hand covering his eyes from the sun and the other firm on the small of her back. The sky wasn’t cloudless, but what clouds there were were white and fluffy.

She turned towards him. “Come here.” Jaime stepped closer and placed both of his hands on her waist. She smoothed out his lapels and adjusted the collar of his shirt. “There, right as rain.”

He kissed her briefly, and when he pulled back, she saw that he was all smiles. Happiness had been ever present on his face since they had woken up beside each other that morning. “Today would have been beautiful even if it was raining, you know?”

Brienne wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and brushed the tips of her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck, “I know.” He hummed in appreciation and kissed her again.

Her father made his way towards them, “Sorry to interrupt.”

“Don’t be,” Jaime said.

“I know that this is how the cool kids speak—“

“Dad, you’re already not doing ‘down with the kids’ very well.”

“But the energy back there right now is very… feral.”

“Please don’t _ever_ say feral again.”

Selwyn chuckled, “I don’t even think anyone has noticed Septon Meribald popping in and out of the sunflowers, they are so focused on your clothing choices.”

Brienne grinned at Jaime who grinned back at her. They had gone shopping together for some semi-casual summer clothing hoping to find something _nice_ for their big day, but they had found something _monumental_ instead. 

Jaime was dressed in light blue jeans, a white button up, a beige coloured waistcoat and a dark blue suit jacket. She had managed to find a flowing white summer dress with a deep v-neck, loose sleeves that came to her elbows, and a hem line that reached mid-thigh. The outfits didn’t exactly scream wedding, but they most certainly didn’t _not_ scream wedding. 

Seeing the looks of each and every single one of their friends and family as they had arrived at the venue had more than made the clothing worth it. 

They walked with Selwyn back to their party area where their guests were all still gathered, despite their encouragement for them to go explore the fields, the petting zoo, and the cliffs. 

Sansa was _still_ laughing, leaning against Margaery, her face buried in her shoulder. Brienne hoped that she had stopped at _some_ point since receiving the invitation, but if she had, Brienne had heard no proof. 

Margaery looked even more wide-eyed than she had when Jaime and Brienne had left them, and certainly the most _feral_ of them all. The alcohol they had provided apparently wasn’t helping. It was odd, seeing her so utterly frazzled, since usually Margaery looked fairly majestic when put in a field of flowers. 

Galladon wasn’t even trying to be particularly antagonistic, he was so shell shocked at all that was unfolding before him. It was weirdly unpleasant not having her brother on her case. 

Tysha and Tyrion looked like they were having a bit of a tiff. Tysha was making stabbing motions and Tyrion was making soothing gestures, although he seemed completely unconvinced of his own argument. She was positioned between them and Jaime so that if Tysha did win that argument, it wouldn’t be an easy or quick kill. 

Poor Podrick looked utterly confused as though he still couldn’t understand how the pieces of the puzzle were supposed to fit together, which she guessed was the point.

And Addam, Addam was having an animated, severely one-sided conversation with Arianne and he looked like he was _not_ getting any of the answers he wanted. No, if he had wanted a reasonable conversation, he should have cornered the other twin. But the other twin had been given a very important task.

“Brin!” Alysanne shouted as she ran at them. Everyone looked over to her. She looked ridiculously cute with a crown of sunflowers in her hair, more crowns looped over both of her arms, and a bundle clasped in both of her hands.

“Back from your mission already?” Brienne asked and knelt down to receive her.

Alysanne grinned at her and shoved the bouquet of sunflowers into her hands, “The lady was very nice. She told me all about how sunflowers aren’t just one flower, but many flowers. They are flowery flowers! She also showed me how to _make_ these flower crowns.”

“You’re going to have to teach me later.”

Alysanne nodded enthusiastically and then turned towards Jaime. “I have something for you too!”

“Do you?” Jaime asked and knelt down in front of Alysanne, one of his hands braced on Brienne’s shoulder. She placed her hand over his and squeezed his fingers.

“I have one for everyone, but yours is special.” Alysanne pulled one of the flower crowns off of her arm. Not only did this one have sunflowers, but also crisp blue winter roses that matched his suit jacket astonishingly well. Brienne stifled a giggle as Jaime blinked in surprise when Alysanne balanced it over his ears. She had to agree with her little sister; Jaime made a great queen of love and beauty. “I think it’s unfair that only the bride gets flowers,” she said matter of factly.

Margaery was the first to register what was just said. “THE BRIDE?”

“It finally makes sense,” Podrick cried.

Addam scrubbed at his face. “Gods, it is his bloody wedding…”

Sansa only laughed louder.

Tyrion practically cried into his hands. “Oh, thank the Seven, you’re not actually that stupid.”

Selwyn had to step in Tysha’s way. “JAIME LANNISTER! I’m going to _murder_ you!”

“Why just me!?”

Septon Meribald materialized out of the sunflower field. “I am guessing _that_ was the signal.”

Arianne stomped over to her twin and hissed, “Alys! Papa said it was a _secret_!”

“Was I the _only_ one not in the know?” Galladon shouted.

Alysanne stared at Brienne with wide guileless eyes that began to tear up. “I’m sorry, Brin!”

“Don’t be sorry!” Brienne said and kissed her sister on her forehead and both of her cheeks until her almost sob turned into loud giggles instead. “We had to tell them eventually.”

“It’s not like we could have stood before the Septon and sworn to be friends forever,” Jaime added, standing up. He gave Alysanne a comforting pat on the head. Brienne glanced at him and he had to choke back some saliva. They would never know now how far they would have gone. “Do you want to hand out the rest of those flower crowns before we get started?”

Alysanne nodded and ran out into the fray. 

“Are you ready to marry me?” Jaime asked, holding out his hand.

“I think I’ve been ready for a while.”

Jaime laughed and pulled her up and in close, “Septon Meribald, it’s time!”

They tried to wrest control before the start of the ceremony, but in the end, only the start of the septon’s prayers worked to reign in the calamity.

They were married, their hands bound, before the end of the hour.

* * *

“I never thought that this would be how your wedding would go,” Selwyn said as he danced with his daughter under the starlight. After the ceremony the air had been cleared up between the bride and groom and all of their guests. As annoyed as they all were with the couple, they had all agreed that they _would_ have done the same thing, which said something about their friendly dynamic, Brienne supposed, and the day had ended with fun and laughter. “But at the same time, I’m not surprised that it happened this way.”

Brienne raised an eyebrow.

“That’s not what I meant. I meant the chaos.”

_“Alys! Ari! Where did you find that?”_

_“In the petting zoo!”_

_“Isn’t he cute?”_

_“Can you just take the animals out of the petting zoo?”_

_“...”_

_“Alys?... Ari?”_

Their conversation continued, the two of them unaware of what was going on in the background.

“Thanks for believing in us, dad,” Brienne teased. “I bet you that Gal will do it worse, though.”

Selwyn gave a long suffering sigh, “He will, won’t he?”

“You can always depend on him,” Brienne laughed.

_“Their horizontal pupils always did freak me out.”_

_“But they're so cute! Look at the floppy ears. So soft.”_

_“His name is Hoat!”_

_“Hoat… not terribly creative.”_

Selwyn sighed, “Honestly, I’m just surprised that—“

Something crashed.

_“Fuck!”_

_“BY THE SEVEN.”_

Selwyn and Brienne looked towards where the others were. For some incongruous reason, there was a bleating goat in their midst and it was on top of Jaime, chewing on his hair.

“What in the ever living…” Tyrion said from the spot right by them. He and Tysha were the only other dancing duo.

“Haul him off!” Galladon shouted as he, Addam, and Podrick tried to pick up the thing. The goat bleated in protest. The rest happened quickly.

“OW.”

“Oh shit!”

“Watch the horns!”

“Jaime!”

“Don’t hurt Hoat!”

“Don’t hurt Hoat?!”

“Do we need to call an ambulance?”

“We just need to call the emergency room. Dad! A little help here!”

Selwyn turned his gaze to Brienne and sighed heavily. “I tried to speak too soon.”

“Didn’t even take a day,” Brienne remarked as she quickly dragged her father over to her prone husband. Tyrion and Tysha joined them.

Jaime stared at her dazedly, “Brienne?”

She sat by him and moved his head onto her lap, “I’m here.”

He blinked at her, “I think… I think I bumped my head.”

Brienne winced, “I think you also got a little bit chewed on.”

“Ah.”

Brienne brushed his saliva covered hair out of his face, “We’re gonna make sure it’s only a bump, okay?”

Jaime nuzzled into her stomach, “Okay.”

Selwyn sighed and pulled out his phone. He had programmed into it King’s Landing General’s Emergency Room line when Brienne had moved out to the city years ago. “Hello, this is Selwyn Tarth—“

“The Tarths! It’s been a while!” Selwyn had many questions in regards to _that_ , but he would save them for later. “Who is the injured party this time? Galladon, Brienne, Arianne perhaps—?”

Selwyn grimaced, “A new one. Jaime… née Lannister.”

A chuckle and the sound of clicking keyboard keys, “Jaime Tarth née Lannister it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took FOREVER to write. It was like pulling teeth, but I hope you enjoyed it. Just the epilogue left now D:
> 
> About three years from now, Tywin Lannister checks the ledgers and is very confused why he has no Lannister heirs???
> 
> Ari and Alys are indeed Selwyn's kids (probably).
> 
> lewispanda Beta comment of the chapter:
> 
> “It’s not like we could have stood before the Septon and sworn to be friends forever,” Jaime added, standing up. --> Oh, they **could**
> 
> Outfits!  
> 


	30. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to lewispanda for betaing. You have been amazing and this story was made all the better with your help.

_Two years later_

The house was beautiful, tall and large, but not sprawling, and situated on a large swath of land that neighboured the sea. It was everything that Brienne had ever dreamed her forever home would be. Granted, it wasn’t in greater King’s Landing, so her commute to work would take longer, but the trade off was worth it. Plus, she didn’t think that her trip into work everyday would be so bad; she would always have company after all.

Taking in a deep breath, she straightened her suit jacket and prepared herself to see the house. She marched up to the front door and threw it open. On the other side of the door, a peculiarly bare, wooden desk had been situated in the large landing and a handsome man sat on the other side in a new, shiny leather upholstered office chair. At her abrupt house shaking entrance, he looked up from the one paper on his desk in surprise and then promptly dropped his pen.

“I’ve come to see the open house!” Brienne declared and felt her cheeks heat up.

He gave her a wicked grin before the corner of his lips tugged down into a more professional smile. “Would you like a tour, Miss…”

Brienne bit her bottom lip, “Mrs. Tarth.”

“Mrs. Tarth,” the man repeated, the words coating his tongue like honey. His eyes roved over her form with very little shame.

“Yes… please Mr…”

His eyes flickered back up to hers, “Call me Jaime, please.”

Brienne swallowed, “Jaime.”

He stood up from his seat and gestured for her to come to his side of the table. Brienne stiffly rounded the desk and tried not to scowl when Jaime barely managed to suppress a chuckle. “Is there any place in the house you would like to see first Mrs. Tarth? This property has many amenities including a hot tub out back and...”

“You’re in charge of the tour,” she said stiffly.

Jaime suppressed another chuckle and took her hand. Their fingers intertwined and she squeezed his fingers between hers, and then he squeezed them tighter. “Alright then, let’s start with the living room.” They only took a couple steps and, not unexpectedly, but still somehow surprisingly, Jaime gestured grandly at the high ceilinged room, decorated tastefully with art from their favourite historical fairy tales, and declared loudly, “Living room.”

Brienne levelled at him an unimpressed look.

Jaime was practically shaking now as he led her to the next room. “Kitchen!” he declared next with more aplomb. The kitchen was spacious with plenty of counter and storage space. All of the basic appliances had already been installed with more than enough room for other things they would surely purchase down the road.

“Is this why you wanted to… I cannot believe—“

He dragged her onwards, “Dining room!” The dining room was Brienne’s crowning achievement; it was a glasshouse solarium, but was built in a way that it wouldn’t boil during the day and had a beautiful view of the sea.

Brienne pursed her lips to prevent any sound of amusement escaping.

Jaime grinned and continued to drag her through the house, “Office one!” He pointed one way, “Office two!” He pointed to the other.

She couldn’t help the smile that crept up onto her face. “Office me, office you?” So much for not encouraging him.

With the emergence of her smile, he gave up the game completely and burst out in sunny laughter and started rattling a sliding door between the offices, “There will barely be a delineation, Mrs. Tarth.”

“The offices are meant for working in,” Brienne scolded playfully.

“You’re the one who included the connecting door,” Jaime grinned and kissed the corner of her mouth, “Can’t get enough of me, can you?”

Brienne rolled her eyes. “Alright, give me the rest of this tour.”

His eyebrow arched, “You want to keep going?”

“We’re going to role play this role play.”

Jaime positively cackled, then coughed. She watched as he pulled himself together and then said to her as seriously as he could, “I’m sure you’ve heard, Mrs. Tarth, about the most fascinating feature of this house.”

“Fascinating feature?” Brienne asked particularly unconvincingly.

Jaime’s lips twitched before he nodded gravely, “Yes, unlike most houses, this one has… a sex dungeon.”

Her lip curled, “You’re right Jaime, I have heard of it and it _is_ what I’m here for.”

“Would you like to see it, then?”

Brienne took a deep breath in before she stepped forward and crowded him against the wall. “More than that… I’d like to try it,” she murmured huskily into his ear then gently bit the lobe of it. She relished Jaime’s very real intake of breath as their chests collided and then felt him practically melt against her. His hands tugged at the hem of her waistcoat, the tips of his fingers searching for skin, but it would take him a little more effort than that. Perhaps she should have waited until he had actually dragged her to their “sex dungeon”, but she had seen how he had reacted to the way she had dressed, and truly, it had been an effort not to just bend him right over that awfully bare desk. She would remember, for future reference, that he particularly liked to see her in a three-piece suit.

“Then let me lead the way,” Jaime said, still quite breathlessly.

She hummed as though in agreement, then ran her nose down the length of his neck. This time he stopped breathing entirely as her hand cupped him through his trousers. Unsurprisingly, he was already half hard beneath the palm of her hand, and at her touch, he hardened further. The next sound that came out of his mouth was a desperate whimper. If all their toys weren’t at their intended destination she wouldn’t have minded taking him right in the hallway up against the wall. She was certain Jaime would not have minded that either. “Sex dungeon,” Brienne said.

“Gods, yes,” he replied and was about to drag her to their bedroom when a loud bang emanated from the front landing.

“HAPPY HOUSE WARMING!” Tyrion’s voice reverberated through the house and cut through the sexual tension like a sharp knife.

They both looked sharply at each other, “Was that today?” they both asked at the same time. At the owlish stare they continued to level at each other both of them seemed to have no answer.

“Cheesy, why the hell is there a desk blocking your front door?”

“What’s this draw—? Oh!” Margaery positively cackled.

Brienne looked at Jaime urgently, “What did you…”

His eyes were wide with panic. “I was getting impatient waiting for you!” he hissed.

“What is it?” Tysha asked.

“Nothing, just diagrams!” Margaery shouted as loudly as she could.

“Architectural diagrams?” Sansa asked slightly fearfully.

Margaery cackled again, “In a way. Nana, have a look.”

“Oh my, it has been for too long since I’ve—“

Jaime and Brienne rushed to the front landing to see a small gathering of people holding party trays, bottles of champagne, balloons, and streamers. “The family will be over soon with the rest of the food,” Sansa stated happily as she waved two bottles of champagne, “You’re sure bringing the dogs is okay?”

“The dogs are always invited,” Brienne reassured while smoothing down her clothing nervously. Was it obvious from what she was wearing that she had been about to suspend and peg Jaime? No… right?

Olenna, who was still staring very intently at the “diagrams”, looked up at Jaime and Brienne and nodded in approval, “I did wonder at first, dear, but it seems you have impeccable taste as always.”

Margaery was about to add on to what her Nana had to say when she caught sight of Brienne, did a double take, and then her mouth simply dropped open. Her eyes widened, her pupils dilated, and she bit her bottom lip in appreciation.

Brienne tried not to cringe as Jaime resisted the urge to positively shrivel at Olenna’s attention. After Margaery had found out how terrified Jaime was of Olenna, she had taken every chance to drag her Nana out to appropriate group functions. “Thanks Nana.”

“The rest of the family will be arriving shortly as well,” Olenna declared as she folded the paper, creased it sharply and then stuck it into her pocket. Jaime positively blanched.

“There’s more champagne and wine in the car,” Tyrion declared.

“I’ll help you move this desk out of the way,” Galladon said. Brienne nodded stiffly as she rounded to the other side. “Honestly, what were you two thinking putting this here?”

“It’s the new fad,” Jaime said with a straight face.

Galladon’s nose wrinkled as he picked the large wooden thing up, “Sounds stupid.”

“You’re stupid,” Brienne muttered.

Galladon shoved the desk at her. Brienne shoved it back. Jaime helped Tyrion and Tysha unload their car while the rest filed into the kitchen as the two siblings attempted to use the piece of furniture as a battering ram on the other’s ribs.

* * *

They both flopped down on their Lys king bed well past midnight. “I think we’re going to have to postpone our plans,” Brienne murmured ruefully and then gave a little yawn.

“Don’t you sta—“ Jaime yawned as well, then gave her a fond exasperated smile. He reached out to tuck strands of her blond hair behind her ear, and then cupped her cheek. “That’s alright, we have all the time in the world.”

She smiled back and placed her hand over his, “Sorry if you’ve been uncomfortable all day.”

“Not at all,” Jaime paused, then chuckled, “Well, not physically. I suspect both Margaery and the old bat knew, and _that_ was discomforting.”

Brienne rubbed her face into their blanket, muffling the sounds of her giggle. “What was on that sheet of paper?”

Jaime cringed, “Nothing explicit per say.” Brienne hummed. Jaime waved at the room around them, “I just drew a visualization of the anchor points you were going to use to suspend me and well… please don’t ever let them in here. They were obviously searching for anchor points in the other rooms in the house,” They had found them too, “And I don’t want them to make knowing faces at all our adornments.”

Brienne giggled again. Jaime had done a fantastic job disguising all of their hooks and rings, but anyone with any insight would be able to see them for what they were. “Okay,” she said and pushed herself back up, “Stand up so I can help you take it off.”

“Do I have to?” Jaime whined, “Can’t I just lie here? I said I’m comfortable.”

“Come on now.”

With a bit of a huff, Jaime also got back to his feet. Brienne slowly began to help him undo the buttons of his shirt while he undid hers. Her suit jacket and waistcoat had been discarded somewhere in the house earlier during the day, probably when the Starks’ pack of dogs had arrived and had accosted her with wet, wagging tongues.

While Jaime revealed nothing beneath Brienne’s blouse, across his chest and shoulders was a crisscross of green rope. He sighed as her fingers dug into the knot sitting against his spine, and slowly the rope began to unfurl. Carefully, she unwrapped him, and each time she lifted the rope from his shoulders she kissed the marks that had been left behind.

At last when the last of the rope dropped to the ground, Jaime flopped back down onto the bed. “I was so looking forward to tonight, though,” he sighed dramatically while wiggling out of his trousers.

Brienne picked up the rope and loosely bundled it before she threw it into the box with the rest of the rope that had been designated for use that day. Also in the box was her harness and the dildo that went along with it. She edged the box back under the bed before she shed the last of her clothing and joined her husband on their bed. “I was too.”

Jaime rolled over and leaned in to kiss her first on the nose and then to capture her lips. “Would you like another house tour tomorrow, Mrs. Tarth?”

Brienne wrapped her arms around his waist, “How about I just fuck you, Mr. Tarth?”

“Will you still wear that suit?”

“If you’d like.”

“I would like.”

They pressed their foreheads together and smiled before their lips met again. They settled into a gentle rhythm. Fingers skimmed, lips roamed, legs tangled. Jaime was in her not soon after. Brienne sighed at the feeling, at the connection they shared, and they rocked together, their breathing synchronizing as their bodies yielded to the other’s touch.

It came slowly, like the tide, building and building until there was simply elation and then the pleasure continued to lap at their shores.

Brienne’s hands ran down his back in long strokes and Jaime’s fingers idly tapped against her hip after. “We need to clean up and brush our teeth.”

“We need to sleep,” Brienne murmured, already halfway there. She buried her face in his shoulder in an attempt to make a point.

He pulled back and kissed her on the forehead, “Come on now.”

Brienne pouted, but took Jaime’s offered hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone for reading! I'm sorry that the epilogue was short, especially since it was such a long wait, but I do hope you enjoyed their soft (but still hopefully sexy) ending. Writing this has been such an adventure, it's been YEARS since I've posted something that wasn't done before I started posting the first chapter and I was doing so well with a posting schedule until right up until the very end there, but I made it to the finish line at last! (Nothing quite lights a fire under your butt like signing up for two exchanges)
> 
> You all have been so supportive with this fic and I've loved reading through all of your comments. I'll get to each and every single one of them in the next couple of days! To think, this fic started as a concept for me to practice getting comfortable writing smut. I think I've gotten at least a little bit more comfortable writing smut for sure xD. 
> 
> Much love to you all.
> 
> Author Comment of the Chapter:  
> Brienne pursed her lips to prevent any sound of amusement escaping. --> She's breaking and being amused by his terrible tour xD LOVE DOES THINGS TO PEOPLE xD


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